Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has condemned the heinous terror attack in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement, Dr Singh said, the attack is one more in a series of provocations and barbaric actions by the enemies of peace. He said, the government is firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement and enforcement from across the border. The Pime Minister said, such attacks will not deter India and not succeed in derailing New Delhi's efforts to find a resolution to all problems through a process of dialogue.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said, government is in the process of inquiring into the terrorist attacks in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Shinde said in New Delhi that his ministry is collecting information about the incident.

Home Secretary Anil Goswami said, a group of 3 to 4 terroists attacked the Hiranagar Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir at around 6:45 in morning. Talking to reporters in New Delhi this afternoon, he said, 4 policemen and one civilian were killed while one ASI was injured in the attack. Mr Goswami said the encounter is still on and added once the encounter is over, the Ministry will share more details.

The Congress has strongly condemned the terror attack. Party spokesperson Meem Afzal said, the act is aimed at obstructing talks between India and Pakistan as Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the United Nation General Assembly meet in New York.

BJP condemned the twin militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that Pakistan is continuing with its strategy to strike at will through proxy war of terror. Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar alleged that Pakistani territory is being used to carry out terror attacks in India.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the attacks are aimed at derailing talks between Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif. He said, the forces inimical to interests of Jammu and Kashmir have always tried to derail the peace process between India and Pakistan and the terror strikes were a step in that direction.