Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 31: Army foiled a major infiltration attempt on the Line of Control (LoC) between Kanga Nullah and Dadot Nullah in Balakote sector of Poonch district early today. The militants, who were trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory, retreated after the troops retaliated.
Official sources said the troops observed movement of a group of four to five militants trying to intrude into the Indian territory between Kanga Nullah and Dadot Nullah in Tarkundi forests of Balakote sector in Poonch district at about 1 am in early hours of this morning. They opened firing to neutralize the militants.
The militants were also reported to have fired briefly on the Army in an attempt to sneak into this side but had to retreat after heavy retaliatory firing by the troops, which continued for about one and a half hours. No casualties or damage was reported on the Army side in the firing, sources said.
Defence spokesman Col Manish Mehta, however, said there was no ceasefire violation on the LoC.
“There was no ceasefire violation on the LoC in Balakote or any other sector last night,’’ Col Mehta said.
Sources added that the group of four to five militants, which tried to infiltrate from the LoC in wee hours of this morning, was the same which had tried to intrude from the same sector few days back. However, the troops thwarted designs of the militants to enter into this side.
Army personnel conducted extensive searches on the LoC in Balakote sector this morning to ensure that there was no infiltration by the militants. However, there were no traces indicating the infiltration, sources said adding the search operation was called off this afternoon.
Troops have been maintaining high alert all along the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri following reports that a number of groups of the militants were preparing to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir ahead of 2014 Parliament and Assembly elections in the State with a view to disturb them.
“There were militants across the LoC fully prepared with a view to sneak into this side ahead of the two major elections in the State this year,’’ sources said. However, they added, the troops have devised a strategy to ensure that the militants and their mentors didn’t succeed in their designs.
During the current month, the militants have made four to five infiltration attempts on the LoC—all in Poonch district. However, the alert troops have thwarted all the attempts, sources pointed out.
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