SRINAGAR: Army on Friday foiled a major infiltration bid of militants along Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir by killing five heavily armed militants.
With the killing of five militants, the death toll of militants killed by army while foiling four infiltration bids along LoC in Kashmir in 72 hours has risen to 12.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, said the vigilant army men foiled a major infiltration attempt by militants in Uri sector. He said the militants were engaged in a gunfight by soldiers and five militants have been killed so far.
Kalia said troops are conducting combing operation in Uri sector to ensure that none of the infiltrating militants had managed to sneak into this side of LoC.
Another army official said the troops, who are on high alert, fired on the militants after detecting them trying to infiltrate into this side of LoC. He said the combing operation in Uri sector was going on since yesterday after troops suspected movement of militants.
In the day long gunfight, he said, soldiers killed five militants and the operation is going on. The official said troops are on high alert amid intelligence inputs that Pakistan army is desperate to push militants into Jammu and Kashmir to cause disturbances.
With fresh killing of militants today, the death toll of militants killed while foiling infiltration bids by army men at four places along LoC in North Kashmir in last 72 hours has risen to 12.
An army man was also killed in a gunfight with militants in Naugam sector of border district of Kupwara yesterday.
Three militants were also killed in the sector by army and three weapons and other war-like stores was recovered from their possession. Army has also foiled infiltration attempts in Machil and Gurez sectors in last 72 hours.
In Machil sector four militants were killed while in Gurez sector, the prompt action by the army men forced the infiltrating militants to escape back to other side of LoC leaving behind rucksacks. The combing and search operation in Machil and Naugam sector continued for second day today.
Army had yesterday said militant groups were being provided active support including covering fire from heavily calibre artillery by the Pakistani army posts on the LoC to assist them in infiltration into the Valley for causing disturbance in the State.
According to army, 23 infiltration attempts of militants (including today’s in Uri sector) have been foiled along the LoC in the State this year and 39 armed militants have been killed.
An army official said the infiltration bids by militants have increased in the wake of melting of snow in the upper reaches along the LoC. “The army is on high alert at LoC to deal with any situation and the counter infiltration grid has been strengthened by deploying more sophisticated gadgets to detect movement of militants,” he said.
Meanwhile, MoS Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre today joined the Army officers and jawans at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar to pay tributes to Rifleman Tara Bahadur Roka, who was killed in gunfight with militants in Naugam sector yesterday.
Rifleman Bahadur was born on January 1, 1994 and hailed from Dang, Nepal. According to defence spokesman, Bahadur had barely two years of service. “He was a very motivated soldier and had impressed one and all with his vigour, courage and devotion to duty,” he said.