Author: Excelsior Correspondent
Publication: The Daily Excelsior
Date: February 5, 2002
URL: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/02feb05/news.htm#4
Three Special Police Officers (SPOs)
were injured when a group of terrorists attacked their picket in Dundak
temple in Surankot tehsil last night. The historic temple, which was targeted
by the terrorists, didn't suffer much damage. Its 'pujari' also escaped
unhurt.
Two 'pujaris' including Mahant of
the temple were gunned down by the terrorists in September last year. After
killing of the Mahant Baba Narotam Dass, a new 'pujari' from Haryana had
taken over the command of the widely preached Goddess Kali temple.
Official sources said a big group
of terrorists, who had taken positions atop a hill over-looking the temple,
opened indiscriminate firing on the temple as well as a picket of the SPOs,
located in the vicinity of the religious place at 2100 hours last night.
The SPOs returned the firing. Exchange
of firing continued till 2330 hours during which several bullets landed
in the temple premises while other rounds struck the boundary walls. Pujari
of the temple, who was present in the temple complex, had a narrow escape
in the attack.
Two rockets and six grenades were
also fired on the temple. While both rockets missed the intended target,
one of the grenade hit boundary wall of the religious place causing damage
to it.
Three SPOs were seriously injured
in the exchange of gun-fighting while the terrorists managed to escape.
Enforcement of army and para-military was rushed to the spot soon after
a report of the terrorists' attack was received.
The injured SPOs were evacuated
to the sub district hospital in Surankot. They have been identified as
Rakesh Kumar (No. 994 SPO), Parminder Singh (No. 995 SPO) and Mukesh Kumar
(No. 776 SPO). Trio fought bravely with the terrorists despite being injured
and finally succeeded in repulsing the attack on the temple.
Sources said the terrorists wanted
to kill 'pujari' of the temple and damage the building complex. However,
they couldn't succeed in their designs due to effective retaliation and
resistance put-in by the SPOs, they added.
Some local terrorists were also
reportedly involved in the attack, the sources said, adding the attack
was aimed at creating communal tension in Poonch.
It may be recalled that widespread
violence had broke out in Poonch when Dundak temple 'pujari' Mahant Narotam
Dass and Baba Devi Dass of Sunderbani were killed by the terrorists inside
the temple complex in September last year. The terrorists had also fired
upon the cremation ceremony of the two 'pujaris'.
Meanwhile, security arrangements
around the historic temple were further strengthened today with the deployment
of more police personnel and SPOs in anticipation of another attack on
the temple. Police and security officers also visited the temple complex
today.
