Two infiltration bids foiled on LoC, 3 Pak intruders killed; warlike store recovered

JAMMU: Army foiled a major infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwala area of Akhnoor sector in Jammu region after eliminating a Pakistani terrorist and recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunition.

The PRO Defence, Jammu, Lt. Col. Devender Anand informed that in an encounter a heavily armed Pakistani terrorist has been eliminated in Akhnoor sector on own side of the International Border at about 13:50 hours. He was killed when negotiated the border and entered the Indian Territory.

However, sources said that there were two to three terrorists, who attempted infiltration but only one was killed and remaining were either returned after Army cordoned them or hiding somewhere. A massive search operation was also launched in the area after the encounter. The cordoned off and search and destroy operation is still in progress.

The ambush party killed one terrorist and recovered warlike stores including five pistols, ten pistol magazines, 60 bullets of pistol, one AK Assault Rifle, two AK Rifle magazines with 234 rounds of ammunition, fifteen hand grenades and twelve fuses of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

This huge cache has scuttled the nefarious plans of the terrorist outfit to derail the peace and harmony in the region and disrupt the forthcoming Panchayat elections in the State. The timely intercept of the intrusion of the terrorists with the cache of arms, ammunition and other war like stores has thwarted any possible untoward incident planned by the terrorist during the scheduled elections in the State.

The Indian Army is carrying out relentless and robust anti-infiltration operations in the State to break the backbone of terrorism and nip the designs of anti national elements and the enemy to foment trouble South of the Pir Panjal ranges in Jammu & Kashmir

Earlier, in last four days Pakistan triggered sniping attack at LoC in which India has lost three Army jawans and one Army porter.

High-alert is being maintained at entire stretch of LoC after the incident.

Besides, the alert security forces foiled an infiltration bid from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) when they gunned down two militants on Tuesday.

According to official sources, the troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from POK in Keran sector in the frontier district of Kupwara. However, when challenged and asked to surrender, militants opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, they said adding security forces also retaliated ensuing in an encounter.

Two militants were killed in the encounter so far, they said adding operation was going on despite snowfall and cold wave conditions.

Additional security forces have also joined the operation from different directions braving adverse weather conditions, they added.

Over 200 militants are waiting across the LoC in launch pads to sneak into this side before the infiltration routes are closed due to heavy snowfall. However, there will be no lowering of guards during the winter, they said.

Security forces have already intensified night and patrolling on the LoC to foil any infiltration bids.