Infiltration bid foiled near Jammu: BSF

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of BSF J.B. Sangwan said that about three to four militants attempted to sneak into the Indian side from near Malarh border post in Ramgarh sector, about 30 km south of Jammu.

"The group fired at the patrol party of the BSF that led to retaliation from our (BSF) side which continued for about half-an-hour. The intruders ran back into the Pakistani side thereafter," he said.

"The incident took place about two km beyond the barbed wire fencing so there is no question of fence getting damaged," Sangwan said.

The Indian side has erected barbed wire fencing along the 220 km International Border and 720 km Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan as a deterrent against infiltration. This fence is about 500 meters to 2.5 km inside Indian territory.

The Bansantar river flows near the place where the infiltration bid happened. But Sangwan said there was remote possibility of infiltrators having crossed the river as it is very swollen due to rains.

Security forces including BSF, Army and police are conducting extensive searches and alert has been sounded on the Jammu-Pathankot highway, which is about 15 km from the IB here.