‘Major’ terrorist attack planned for India’s Republic Day foiled after 3 militants killed in Kashmir

Indian authorities averted a major attack on Republic Day when they killed three jihadist militants during a raid in Kashmir, including a mastermind behind the 2019 Pulwama blast, the country’s army and police chiefs said.

The militants, belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) jihadist group, were killed in a clash with security forces in the Pulwama District of the Indian-controlled part of disputed Kashmir on Saturday, ahead of the nationwide celebrations, police and army officials revealed.

Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar told reporters that one of the killed terrorists was Qari Yasir, the group’s chief in the region. “He was an IED expert and was involved in recruitment as well as relocation of militants coming in from Pakistan,” Kumar said, adding that Yasir was also “involved” in the February 2019 suicide bombing that killed 40 military policemen in Pulwama District.

Commander of the Kashmir-based XV Corps, Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, said that with the terrorists' deaths, "a major incident on January 26 has been averted."

The JeM module was active and was planning to do something sensational on Republic Day.

The centerpiece of the Republic Day celebrations was a large parade in Delhi.

There was a series of explosions on Sunday in different locations in the eastern Assam State: two blasts from homemade bombs and three grenade explosions. No casualties were reported. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks but local media say they were likely carried out by the banned separatist movement, the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!