Major infiltration bid by four militants foiled in Poonch

Pak-made items recovered from the site of encounter on the LoC in Poonch district on Friday.
Pak-made items recovered from the site of encounter on the LoC in Poonch district on Friday.

Pak made items recovered
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: Army early today foiled major infiltration attempt on the Line of Control (LoC) at forward village of Salhutri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district forcing group of four militants to retreat to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) leaving behind some of their belongings.
Reports said troops observed movement of four militants trying to intrude into the Indian territory through LoC in Salhutri area around 1 am and asked them to surrender.
However, the militants who were equipped with large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives opened firing on the Army personnel making desperate attempt to enter the Indian territory. Troops retaliated leading to heavy exchange of gun battle that continued for more than two hours.
However, there was no ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army, sources said.
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Finding themselves unable to infiltrate, the militants retreated to PoK.
In the morning, troops conducted searches in the forward village and found some Pakistan made items including clothes, packaged food items and medicines.
“All these items had manufacturing address of Pakistan which indicated that the militants belonged to Pakistan and were infiltrating to this side with a view to cause terror acts,” sources noted.
Going by the impact of firing lasting more than two hours, it was clear that the militants were well trained and probably the foreign nationals affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
Few days back, Army had thwarted major intrusion bid in Poonch sector killing two Pakistani militants of the LeT outfit and recovering large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives from their possession.
Prior to that, Army had foiled two intrusion attempts at Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors in which four militants were killed. Two Army soldiers were martyred in Sunderbani gun battle.
Three militants were eliminated by security forces in Thannamandi area of Rajouri district last month, who were also part of freshly infiltrated group.
An Army soldier was martyred in Thannamandi gun battle.
However, the militants had targeted BJP Mandal president in Rajouri town last month throwing grenade on his house in which his two-year-old nephew was killed and seven family members were injured. The BJP leader was among the wounded.