Major infiltration bid foiled by troops
Bodies, arms spotted on LoC
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 4: Four militants of Al Badr outfit and a Pakistan army personnel were killed and three others injured as troops foiled an infiltration attempt on the Line of Control (LoC) in forward village of Tarkundi in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district recently.
Delayed reports said the intrusion bid was foiled on December 30 but details about killing of militants and Pakistan army personnel were received last night after bodies were detected lying on the LoC as weather cleared after few days of rains and light snowfall.
Confirming the incident, sources said a group of six Pakistani militants of Al Badr outfit with active support of Pakistan army tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory breaching LoC. Alert Indian troops challenged the militants and asked them to surrender.
However, the militants opened firing which was supported by the Pakistani troops with shelling and firing. The Indian troops retaliated and exchange of gun battle lasted throughout the night.
Initially, it couldn’t be ascertained whether the militants have been killed or manage to escape back. However, last night as the weather improved, troops spotted dead bodies of four militants lying on Pakistan side of the LoC.
Intercepts revealed that a Pakistan army jawan was also killed in the exchange of firing while two militants managed to escape back in injured condition.
All four slain militants were believed to be Pakistanis. However, their bodies couldn’t be retrieved as they were lying on Pakistan side of the LoC, sources said; adding Pakistan army has also not picked up the bodies so far.
The militants were equipped with large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives.
This was after a long time that the militants tried to infiltrate from Tarkundi area of Manjakote sector in Rajouri district, sources said pointing out that exchange of shelling and firing between India and Pakistani troops in this sector are also very less in Manjakote.
“Tarkundi in Manjakote sector was picked up for infiltration by the militants with the support of Pakistan army anticipating that alertness of the Indian troops might be less as compared to other sectors as no ceasefire violations were taking place there. However, the high alert troops successfully thwarted the intrusion bid,” sources said.
The militants were trying to infiltrate into Rajouri to take Pir Panjal mountains and reach South Kashmir, they added.
However, Pakistan army and the militants have also been making attempts to revive militancy in the Jammu region including twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. In the past few days, three militants have been arrested in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district, who were directly in touch with their Pakistani handler, and large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive devices were recovered from their possession.
The militant modules have also been busted in Jammu and Reasi districts where also police have recovered arms and explosives devices. Besides, there has also been a militancy related incident in border area of Hiranagar in Kathua district where a militant had lobbed grenade targeting a temple in Jandi area but missed the target.
Ceasefire violations have also been on the increase on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts where the Pakistan army has been targeting forward areas and civilian locations.
There were reports that Pakistan army was trying to push trained militants into the Indian territory under the cover of ceasefire violations.
A number of Pakistan army personnel have been killed or injured in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops on the LoC. Besides, there has also been heavy infrastructural damages of Pakistan army.
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