Pilgrim critically injured in militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, March 21 (IANS) A pilgrim bound for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir was critically injured when militants on Saturday morning launched an attack on an army camp in Samba district, police said.

A resident of Uttar Pradesh was critically injured in the militant attack on the Mesar camp of 82 armoured regiment in Samba district. He was rushed to the Samba district hospital where doctors referred him to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment, a senior police officer said.

"Militants early this morning attacked the Mesar camp of 82 armoured regiment in Samba district. They are using grenades and automatic gunfire to carry out the attack. Most likely, two militants are involved in the attack," the police officer told IANS.

"Reinforcements are being rushed to the camp to ensure that the militants do not escape," he added.

Saturday's militant attack came on the morning of the nine-day Navratri festival, and on a day when Muslims are celebrating Nowruz, or the Persian new year, in the state.

The Mesar camp was also attacked on September 26, 2013 by militants after they had attacked the Hiranagar police station in Kathua district. Twelve people had been killed in that attack.

On Friday, six people including two militants were killed in a similar attack on the Rajbagh police station in Kathua district.

Intelligence reports had indicated that four militants were involved in Friday's attack, but only two had been killed.

Intelligence sources told IANS that they believe the Saturday's attack is being carried out by the two guerrillas who survived in Friday's attack after escaping from the spot.

The Mesar camp houses 82 armoured regiment which comes under the command of army's 9th Corps that is headquartered in Yule Camp (Dharmshala) in Himachal Pradesh.