Possible drone attack at Jammu airport; 2 IAF personnel injured
Two low-intensity explosions were reported in the technical area of the Jammu Air Force Station, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a statement on Sunday. The incident reportedly took place around 1:40 am and left two IAF personnel injured. Reports also suggested that the blasts were a possible drone attack with the suspected involvement of India's feuding neighbor Pakistan. Here are more details.
The IAF said on Twitter, "Two low-intensity explosions were reported early Sunday morning in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area." In another tweet, it said, "There was no damage to any equipment. (An) investigation is in progress along with civil agencies."
According to CNN-News18, the Jammu airport blasts took place at around 1:40 am. The first blast ripped a hole in the roof of the building, while the second one exploded on the ground. The sound from the explosions could reportedly be heard two kilometers away. Citing top intelligence sources, the report said that the explosions were a possible drone attack by Pakistan.
An initial probe suggested that two drones sent GPS-enable IEDs that were given the exact location and target, sources told CNN-News18. The possible target of the drones was the aircraft parked in the dispersal area, ANI reported, citing sources.
The Indian Express reported that two people were arrested in connection with the explosions. The arrest took place near a shopping mall in the jurisdiction of Trikuta Nagar Police station. However, sources told CNN-News18 that the arrests are unrelated to the blast. The CNN-News18 report said two people—including one Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist—were arrested Sunday and 4.7 kg IED was recovered from them.
Reportedly, teams of Jammu & Kashmir Police, forensic experts, and other security experts have reached the site of the blasts to examine its nature. A high-level meeting is also underway and an investigation has been launched.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Vice Air Chief, Air Marshal HS Arora, regarding the blast, the Defence Ministry said. Air Marshal Vikram Singh is reaching Jammu to take stock of the situation. Rajnath Singh is notably on a three-day visit to Ladakh starting Sunday with the aim to inaugurate infrastructural projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and interact with troops.
