Pak military chopper fly close to LoC in Poonch

TNN Bureau. Updated: 2/22/2018 1:29:42 AM Front Page

JAMMU: A Pakistani military helicopter on Wednesday came within 300 metres of the Line of Control in the Pakistan-occupied territory near Poonch sector, prompting the forces to be put on alert.
However, there was no incident of firing or hostile action as the copter didn't violate the Indian airspace, the officials said.
The official sources in Army informed that a Pakistan Army Helicopter was seen flying very close to LOC in Poonch sector on Wednesday morning.
"The incident occurred between 9.45 am and 10 am today. The Pak copter visited our posts but within their airspace," Defence sources at Poonch informed.
"While they didn't cross their boundary, but as a precautionary measure, Indian army was on the high alert at LoC," they said, adding that there was no firing or hostile action by any side during the incident.
However, Indian troops observed its movements and reported its presence to headquarters.
The helicopter later went back, the sources said, adding although it was not a violation of airspace, but it was a breach of an understanding between the two sides.
According to laid down norms by both the sides, rotary wing aircraft should not come within one kilometre of the LoC and fixed wing aircraft should not be within 10 km of it.
The army has refrained from issuing any official statement in this regard, citing there was no violaton of Indian airspace.
Sources in Indian Air Force also said that no inquiry has been ordered in this particular incident as 'this is not violation of our air space.'
The sources also indicated that the matter will be taken up with the Pakistani side as there was a breach of trust.
Meanwhile, five days after two suspects were spotted in bordering Samba district, four suspects were again spotted in the district.
Sources informed that a local woman found four persons in combat dresses travelling in a brown colour Innova car from Samba towards Jammu.
The information was shared by army and police in the afternoon and all checking points on the highway were put on high alert, but till this evening security forces failed to trace such vehicle.
SSP, Samba, Anil Magotra confirmed that one such information was received at Police Control Room (PCR) following which the nakas have been put on alert.
It is worth mentioning that three months back, similar information was passed by the intelligence agencies to the security agencies that a brown coloured Innova vehicle is under scanner and might shift some suspects from one area to another in Samba.
Later, police worked on the same, but nothing has been found till date.
Earlier, on Feb 16 army launched a massive search operation in Samba district at Jammu-Pathankot National Highway after two suspects were spotted in the area.


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