Uri attack: Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meeting, MOS says time to hit back

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today called a high-level meeting in the wake of yesterday’s attack on Army battalion headquarters in Uri sector, Srinagar, in which 20 Army jawans were killed and over 25 injured. The meeting is being attended by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, NSA chief Ajit Doval, IB and RAW chiefs and DG, Border Security Force besides other high level officials from Defence and Home Ministry.

The meeting that started at 1000 hrs, is delving into the reasons behind the lack of intelligence inputs, the issue of infiltration across the LoC and other important issues related to this. Top level sources in the Home Ministry said that further strategies to combat terrorism will also be featuring in the discussion. Meanwhile, the Defence Minister today said that Pakistan's 'hand' was behind the Uri attack, adding that the arms and ammunition recovered from the terrorists killed were carrying Pakistani manufacturing imprints.

Earlier, Mr Singh had also said that the perpetrators were from Pakistan and were heavily armed and highly trained besides being specially equipped. “There are definite and conclusive indications that the perpetrators of Uri attack were highly trained, heavily armed and specially equipped,” tweeted Mr Singh.

Minister of State for Defense says time to hit back

The death toll in yesterday's terror attack at an Army base in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri has gone up to 20, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhmare today confirmed. Expressing outrage, he said befitting response will be given to the perpetrators of the attack. "Twenty of our soldiers have attained martyrdom. We salute their courage," Dr Bhamre, in a statement said.

He said the entire nation is outraged and it is time to hit back. He said a high-level meeting is on to chart out the next course. "That is for sure, an action will be taken," he said. On being pointed out that Pakistan has denied its involvement in the attack, Dr Bhamre said it was in the habit of Pakistan. "We know about their involvement," he added. Director General of Military intelligence, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh had yesterday said that four terrorists killed during the operation were all foreigners and that they were from Jaish-e-Muhammad. (UNI)