Post Nagrota attack, Omar asks Centre to explain Pak policy to nation

New Delhi [India], Nov. 30 (ANI): Coming down heavily on the Centre over the terror attack on an Army mess in Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir, in which seven defence personnel were killed, former state chief minister Omar Abdullah asserted that regardless of what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said, Pakistan is no more isolated internationally today than it was six months ago. Abdullah claimed that terrorists were clearly no more deterred from attacking India's armed forces now than they were prior to the surgical strikes conducted in September. "So, on a day on which seven of our brave soldiers lost their lives to terrorist bullets the government must explain its Pakistan policy to nation. It's all very well to call people who question the govt line "Friends of Pakistan" but that's a poor excuse for a cogent, thought out policy," he said in a series of tweets. Echoing similar sentiments, the Shiv Sena said the government must up the ante against Pakistan and stop gloating over the one lone surgical strike. "Ever since the Uri attack happened, Pakistan has turned the heat and unleashed a string of attacks on us, while we are still beating the drum about one, lone surgical strike. Yes, we did carry out a surgical strike but clearly that has not silenced Pakistan. One mere surgical strike does not amount to teaching Pakistan a lesson," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI here. India's Army Chief General Dalbir Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on the deadly terrorist attack on an army artillery unit in Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, two Indian Army officers and five jawans were killed in the attack, where a group of heavily armed terrorists disguised in police uniforms targeted an army unit located three kilometres from the Corps Headquarters. The terrorists forced their entry into the officers mess complex by throwing grenades and firing at the sentries, the Army said in a statement. In the initial counter action, one officer and three soldiers lost their lives. Following which, the terrorists entered two buildings which were occupied by families, officers and men. This led to a hostage-like situation, but it was quickly contained, and thereafter, in a deliberate operation all were successfully rescued, which included 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children. However, in this rescue attempt, one more officer and two jawans lost their lives bringing the total death toll to seven. Meanwhile, the bodies of three terrorists have been recovered and operations are in progress to sanitise the complete area. Speaking to ANI here, Defence PRO Manish Mehta said that combing operations have been called off for now as it was night time and will be resumed at dawn on Wednesday. (ANI)