In Pics: Fear of terrorism returns to Punjab as fidayeen attack claims 8 lives

Three heavily-armed fidayeen in army fatigues on Monday sprayed bullets on a moving bus and stormed a police station, killing eight persons, including an SP, while all the terrorists were gunned down in a day-long operation.

In the first major terror attack in the state in eight years, the terrorists, suspected to be members of either Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), launched a pre-dawn strike targeting a roadside eatery, passenger bus and later barged into the Dinapur police station.

The terrorists killed eight persons-- three civilians, Superintendent of Police (Detective), Baljit Singh, a Punjab provincial service officer, two home guards and two policemen.

Here are the images of the almost 12-hour-long operation carried out by security forces:

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

An army jawan during an encounter with militants who attacked a police station at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Police personnel take positions during an encounter with armed militants in Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur District of Punjab, on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Recovered bombs that were planted on railway tracks by armed militants near Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Punjab police personnel who was injured in the militant attack. The terrorists killed eight persons-- three civilians, Superintendent of Police (Detective), Baljit Singh, a Punjab provincial service officer, two home guards and two policemen. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

An injured civillian at a hospital who was shot at in a militant attack in Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district on Monday. The terrorists killed eight persons-- three civilians, SP (Detective), Baljit Singh, a Punjab provincial service officer, two home guards and two policemen. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Army and police personnel during an encounter with militants who attacked a police station at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Army jawans during an encounter with militants who attacked a police station at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Army jawans during an encounter with militants who attacked a police station at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal visits Guru Nanak Hospital, to enquire well being of injured persons in militant attack at Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, in Amritsar on Monday. PTI Photo

In Pics: Punjab rattled by fidayeen attack

People evacuate a hospital adjoing a police staion that was attacked by the militants at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on Monday. PTI Photo