4 militants killed as Army foils multiple infiltration attempts

At least four militants were killed as the Army foiled multiple infiltration attempts by ultras on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

Sources said the Army intercepted a group of heavily armed militants near Aatma post on the LoC in Naugam sector of Kupwara, 110 km from here, during the early hours on Sunday.

The infiltrating militants, after being challenged by the Army, opened fire triggering an encounter, they said. Four unidentified militants were killed in the gunbattle, they added.

Srinagar-based Army spokesman Colonel Manish Kumar confirmed that four militants were killed in the encounter. “It was an infiltration bid, which was foiled. Four AK-47 rifles and warlike stores have been recovered so far. The operation is on,” he said.

Sources said that additional reinforcement has been rushed to the spot as the area (where the encounter is on) has dense bushes all around it. “The Army has cordoned off the area and blocked all exit points to ensure that if there are some more militants, they don’t manage to escape,” sources added.

The Army foiled the second infiltration bid in Gurez sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. A police officer said that the Army foiled the bid in Bagtoor area of Gurez at around 4 am. However, he said, there was no report of any casualties, adding the infiltrators were pushed back to Pakistani side by the Army.

The third infiltration bid by the militants in Thangdhar sector of Kupwara was also foiled by the Army, reports said.

With security forces grappling to control stone- pelting youths in the Kashmir Valley for over two months, militant groups across the LoC are taking advantage of it and trying to make infiltration attempts in different sectors along the border, sources said.