Casualties Up To Seven, Mopping-Up Operation Still On

By M. Santhiran NEW DELHI, Jan 4 (Bernama)-- Reports emerged that the number of casualties in the Patankot air base attack has risen to seven, with security personnel still carrying out mopping-up operation at the base, located about 30 kilometres from the Pakistan border. So far, there has been no official statement from the Indian authorities on the latest number of casualties. Three personnel were reported killed in the 3.30am attack yesterday and three more had succumbed to their injuries, at a military hospital Sunday. A CNN-IBN journalist reported from the Patankot air base that an army officer was killed this morning when a booby trap went off during the mopping-up operation. The journalist also stated that the firing occurred early this afternoon, and military intelligent officials were quoted as saying that at least two more militants were hiding at the base which housed fighter jets and attack helicopters. On Saturday, security officials and Punjab police said four militants were killed when four to five heavily armed men stormed the air base at about 3.30am, local time. Defence analysts quickly blamed poor coordination among various security forces which resulted in the neutralisation exercise of militants extending beyond 24 hours. The absence of an official version of the incident also resulted in more speculation on the safety of Indian military bases close to the border. Since the attack, media and politicians blamed the Pakistani army for supporting the alleged terrorists with an attempt to derail the recent attempt by Prime Minister Narindra Modi to normalise relations with the neighbouring country. In a related development, an unprecedented security alert was issued by the New Delhi police commissioner today following reports of several militants having infiltrated the capital prior to India's Republic Day on Jan 26. This morning, train services from the capital to other major cities were delayed for several hours after police received a letter that militants had planted explosives in an express train. -- BERNAMA