JAMMU: Three soldiers were killed and another Army man critically injured in an attack possibly by Pakistan Army's notorious Border Action Team (BAT) close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Two militants were killed in retaliatory firing by the Army.
A defence spokesman based in Jammu said soldiers deployed along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri noticed a group of militants trying to sneak into the state.
He said soldiers fired on the intruding armed militants, who fired back. "Immediately after the initial gunfight, the Army men effectively cordoned off the area and launched a search and destroy operation to flush out the militants," the spokesman said.
He said a fierce gunfight broke out during the operation, in which three soldiers and two militants were killed.
"Another soldier sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to the Army command hospital in Udhampur," he said.
The spokesman said two AK-47 rifles and other ammunition was recovered from the deceased militants.
However, an Army official, pleading anonymity, said the attack was possibly a BAT attack.
"The BAT team comprising Pakistan Army commandos and heavily armed militants had crossed the LoC in Sunderbani sector and attacked an Army patrol," he said.
He said three soldiers were killed and another critically injured in the BAT attack.
The deceased soldiers were identified as Havildar Kaushal Kumar of Deeng, Nowshera (J&K), Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh, of Doda (J&K), and Rifleman Rajat Kumar Basan of Pallanwala (J&K). The injured soldier was identified as Rifleman Rakesh Kumar of Samba, J&K.
The official said two militants who were part of the BAT team, were killed in the retaliatory firing by soldiers. "Their bodies are lying on this side of the LoC".
The incident comes after the abduction and killing of a BSF man along the International Border (IB) in Ramgarh sector of Samba district by Pakistan Army's BAT team on September 19 this year.
The throat of the jawan was slit and his eyes gouged out.
Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had a few days ago released pictures of BSF jawan's belongings on social media that included his BP jacket, five magazines of INSAS rifle and mobile phone.
An army official said troops had been placed on high alert along the LoC and International Border (IB) in J&K for possible BAT attacks and rise in infiltration attempts by militants before the onset of winter and closures of the "infiltration routes" by heavy snowfall.
He said counter infiltration grid has also been further strengthened to foil any attempt of militants to infiltrate into the State from other side of the LoC.