A Pakistani militant was killed as the Indian Army foiled an attack by the Border Action Team (BAT) near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday.
“Yesterday (Saturday) at 3 pm, a complete breach of ceasefire agreement was noticed when an infiltrator wearing a Pathan suit and a black jacket was trying to enter into this side,” General-officer-Commanding (GoC) of Army’s 28-Division, Major General Abhijit Pendharkar told reporters in Kupwara.
“He (intruder) was challenged and subsequently killed,” Pendharkar said, adding that it was a BAT action.
Defence experts say that Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG) forms the core of the BAT. Besides, dreaded terrorists from Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad outfits are part of the BAT for trans-LoC action up to a depth of one to three kilometres.
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The BATs were responsible for the brutal killing of several Indian soldiers in recent years along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The latest incident site is reportedly located on the Pakistani side of the Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System, kept under surveillance by the Indian Army to effectively counter any nefarious activity by the infiltrators or Pakistan Army.
The GoC identified the slain militant as Muhammad Shabir Malik, a Pakistani national. “An AK-47 rifle and seven magazines were recovered from him. A document showing the slain militant in army uniform was also found in his pocket," he said and added the infiltration route chosen by the militant+ was the same as the one used by five armed militants last year in April, who were killed in the Keran sector.
Major General Pendharkar said that a communication has been made with the Pakistani army on hot-line to take back the body of the infiltrator. “There are continuous inputs about possible infiltration bids by militants along the LoC in Keran ahead of the snowfall in the areas but the army was alert and maintaining vigil to thwart all such plans,” he maintained.
The army commander said the latest attempt clearly establishes that Pakistan continues to sponsor cross-border terror.
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