Foiled Pak attack on Golden Temple, says Indian Army

Days after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a senior Army officer on Monday revealed that the neighbouring nation had tried to target the Golden Temple with drones and missiles on the intervening night of May 7-8 in retaliation against India’s strikes on nine terrorist sites.

Major General Kartik C Seshadri, General Officer Commanding of 15 Infantry Division, said this while demonstrating India’s air defence system, including indigenous Akash missiles and L-70 air defence guns, which intercepted Pakistani drones and missiles that attempted to target the Sikh shrine.

The Army officer said the Golden Temple was the prime target of the Pakistani attack in the Amritsar region, which was evident from a surfeit of drones and missiles showered in its direction. “Our air defence system intercepted and neutralised all attacks targeted at military installations and religious places,” he said.

Major General Seshadri said they had credible intelligence that the Golden Temple would be targeted. “We mobilised additional modern air defence assets to provide a holistic air defence umbrella cover to safeguard the shrine. Pakistan carried out a massive air assault with drones and long-range missiles in the wee hours of May 8. However, our alert air defence gunners foiled its attempts and shot down all drones and missiles targeted at the Golden Temple,” he said.