4 soldiers wounded in Kashmir gunfight

Arms, ammunition found in Rajouri

SRINAGAR: Four soldiers were injured on Thursday in a gun battle with terrorists on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara, even as a huge cache of arms and ammunition was found during a search operation launched by the Army near the LoC over reported suspicious movement in the Rajouri district, where an Army jawan was injured in Pakistan’s infiltration bid yesterday, which was foiled by security forces.

Four army personnel were injured after an encounter triggered between the infiltrators and army in north Kashmir’s Handwara.

The fighting erupted after troops challenged a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate from Pakistan towards the Indian side of the de-facto border in Nowgam sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

Police officials said the 08 Bihar Army noticed some suspicious movement around 4.20 a.m. near the Sangam Post on the LoC.

The soldiers challenged the infiltrating terrorists who opened fire, triggering a gun battle.

"The infiltration bid was supported by the Pakistan Army which provided cover fire to the terrorists. The operation is going on. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area," a police officer said.

The injured soldiers have been shifted to an army hospital.

In Rajouri, the security personnel launched a search operation in a village close to LoC in the Nowshera sector based on reports of suspected movement and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition

The early morning search operation in the Jhanjar area was launched a day after a soldier was injured on Wednesday when a major infiltration bid by militants was foiled.

"A large forest area has been surrounded. The operation is still on to ensure that no terrorist is hiding in the dense jungle," a defence source said.

The operation was on when reports last came in.

Earlier, the Army had foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in this sector yesterday in which one jawan was injured.

At about 5.15 am on Wednesday, Army personnel noticed movement along the LoC in Naushera Sector, the defence public relations officer had said.

On being challenged, the armed intruders had opened fireto which our troops responded with retaliatory fire in equal measure. Pakistan Army posts had provided cover fire to the intruder.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, an army personnel had sustained injuries and was evacuated for medical treatment. The jawan's condition was said to be stable.