SRINAGAR: Army on Monday said alert troops foiled an infiltration attempt of militants, who were crossing river Jhelum by a boat, in Uri sector of North Kashmir and killed five heavily armed fidayeen of Jaish-e-Mohammad.
“A group of militants attempted to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from Uri sector of north Kashmir during the night intervening January 14/15,” Brigadier Y S Ahlawat told reporters in Uri.
He said the alert army men picked up the movement as militants were moving along the banks of Jhelum river on the other side of LoC on Uri sector.
“As the militants were crossing the boat in river Jhelum towards this side, their movement was tracked,” the army official said.
He said the militants were challenged and they fired on the army men.
“The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, five heavily armed militants were killed,” he said.
Brigadier Ahlawat said during search operation, bodies of four militants were recovered.
“The 5th body of militant is lying across the Jehlum river bank,” he said.
Ahlawat said with the killing of militants, a major tragedy has been averted on army day and in run up to the Republic Day functions,” he said.
He said large cache of arms and ammunition including 4 AK 47 rifles, 3 UBGLs, 38 UBGL grenades, 23 hand grenades, 9 IEDs and other war like items were recovered from possession of the slain militants.
"The Indian army continues with its resolve to keep a strict vigil along the LoC to foil nefarious designs of Pakistan,” added the army official.
He said it was the first infiltration attempt of militants this year and it has been successfully foiled by the troops.
Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said the militants killed belonged to militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad.
“According to the security inputs, they were fidayeen (suicide attackers), he said.
Vaid said they were infiltrating to carry out suicide attacks in the State.
“We had received information that five to six militants may attempt to sneak into the Valley and accordingly ambushes were laid at different places jointly by army, police and CRPF men. In the exchange of fire, five militants were killed in Dulanja, Uri while infiltrating,” he added.
Jaish militants had carried out three fidayeen attacks on security forces camps in Valley last year killing 14 security personnel and injuring many others. The militant group was also behind the January 6 IED blast in Sopore in north Kashmir in which four policemen were killed.