Infiltration bid foiled ahead of PM's visit

Modi to inaugurate Katra-Udhampur rail link

Just a day before the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir, a fierce gunfight ensued between militants and security forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Thursday morning.

“A group of terrorists, who had crossed over to the Indian territory from the Krishna Ghati sector of Mendhar, was spotted by troops. The terrorists fired at the troops after they were challenged and there was a heavy exchange of fire from both the sides,” Defence spokesman Colonel Munish Mehta said.

Earlier reports quoting police officials had said that three militants were killed in the gun-battle.

However, there was no official confirmation as no body had been recovered or seen. Defence sources said the terrorists had probably moved back to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Sources told Deccan Herald that the group comprising 6 to 8 ultras had sneak into India  on Wednesday night. “Pakistan troops started pounding forward areas at around 9 pm to give cover to the infiltrators. 

“The firing continued till 5 am,” they said.

“The whole area has been sealed and later in the afternoon the army along with extra contingent of force conducted fresh searches in the area,” sources added.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in view of the prime minister’s one-day visit to the state on Friday.

Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a rail link between Katra-Udhampur in Jammu and the second phase of 240 MW Uri Hydel project in Kashmir. He is also scheduled to address a ‘Sanik Samelan’ in Srinagar.

“Hotels and lodges were being checked while security personnel combed all nearby hills and took positions at vantage points,” sources said. They said the prime minister will fly back to New Delhi in the evening.

Pakistan had fired heavy mortar shells in the forward areas of Poonch district on June 12, a day before the visit of the Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. There has been regularly firing along the LoC in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu division for the last one week with an aim to push in terrorists.