Suspected terrorists attacked a police station and a bus in the northern Indian state of Punjab on Monday morning, killing at least nine people and wounding several others.
Armed gunmen, wearing Indian army uniforms, fired indiscriminately at people near a bus station and then attacked a police station in Dinanagar town in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, bordering Pakistan, according to Business Standard.
Security forces were rushed to the scene immediately and were engaged in a shootout with the attackers. One gunman was killed in the encounter.
Six civilians and three security personnel were killed in the attack. Casualties include senior police official Baljit Singh, Punjab's superintendent of police (detective), reported BBC.
"We were hit by a burst of gunfire suddenly. I was hit on the shoulder. They are firing indiscriminately every five minutes," an injured police official said, according to Indo Asian News Service.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called an emergency meeting of senior ministers over the terror attack. Home minister Rajnath Singh blamed neighboring country Pakistan for the terror attack.
"I can't understand why time and again cross border terror incidents are taking place when we want good relations with our neighbor," Singh said, according to New Delhi TV. "We want peace with Pakistan, but not at the cost of national honor. We will not be the first to strike, but if we are hit, we will give a befitting reply."
Security was beefed up and a red alert sounded in major Indian cities, including the capital, Delhi, following the attack. "The security in the national capital, which is always kept on high alert, is beefed up around Independence Day. However, following the attack in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, a red alert has been issued here," police officials said, according to Tribune newspaper.
