Army calls off searches on LoC

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 8: Army today called off search operation in the dense forest areas of Sabjian, Mandi sub sector in Poonch district along the Line of Control (LoC) where a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Subedar Bachan Singh was killed yesterday afternoon when Pakistan troops opened heavy fire on Indian posts in a bid to give cover to the infiltrating militants.
“Massive search operation, which was launched yesterday by the Army troops following Intelligence reports that five to six militants had tried to sneak into this side through thick vegetation, was called off this afternoon,” official sources said.
“No traces of militants were found during the search operation in the forest areas along the LoC in Sabjian, Mandi sub sector,’’ they said adding: “it appeared that the militants had managed to escape back taking cover of dense forests and thick growth of vegetation in the area’’.
There had been Intelligence reports that a group of five to six militants had tried to sneak into this side during day light firing and ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops at Sabjian, Mandi sub sector.
Troops had launched a massive search operation yesterday around 2 pm to flush out infiltrators, who they suspected to have sneaked into Indian territory during heavy cover firing and rocket attacks from Pakistan troops on Indian posts in Sabjian-Mandi belt.
As per the reports, a group of militants had been launched from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) into the Indian territory under the cover of heavy firing and rocket attacks in the same sector yesterday.