Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 8: Army today foiled a major infiltration bid facilitated by the Pakistani troops in Nowgam sector of North Kashmir’s Handwara area, killing 3 militants while a soldier also lost his life during the operation.
Army’s 4/1 GR and 20 Dogra last night noticed a group of militants near Pika 1 and Pika 2 posts at Nowgam sector of the LoC. The troops challenged and they opened fire which was retaliated by Army leading to a gun battle.
The encounter continued intermittently till morning in which three militants were killed. An Army soldier was also killed and another injured in the operation. The martyred soldier has been identified as Rifleman Rara Bahadur Ruka and injured Naik Jeet Bahadur Thappa. The Army recovered bodies of all the slain militants along with some arms and ammunition.
The recoveries include 3 AK-47 rifles, one UBGL, two UBGL grenades, 254 AK ammunition rounds, 14 AK magazines, 5 hand grenades, 2 matrix sheets, one wire cutter, 5 radio sets, 3 mobile phones, 3 rucksacks, 3 GPS, dry fruit, clothes, one binocular and Pakistan made medicine.
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Addressing a press conference at Nowgam sector of Handwara in North Kashmir, Brigadier Neeraj Soni of 17 Sector told reporters that Pakistani troops provided cover to the infiltrators to facilitate their sneaking.
“Pakistani troops started firing with high caliber weapons on Army posts along the Line of Control. They restored to artillery shelling and fired mortars and resorted to heavy firing with automatic weapons. This was to facilitate the infiltration of militants in this sector. However, Indian Army replied befittingly to the fire and foiled the infiltration bid of terrorists”, Brigadier Soni said.
The Sector Commander said that three infiltrating militants were killed by the Army and operation is still in progress. “Three terrorists were killed in Nowgam sector in the ensuing fire fight with the Army and search operation is still on. We have recovered 3 AK-47 rifles and grenades from them besides war like stores”, he added.
Brigadier Soni said that giving cover to the infiltrators is frustration on part of Pakistani troops as Indian Army foiled their designs.”This dastardly act of Pakistan army is manifestation of its prolonged frustration and distress as in the recent past many such attempts of infiltration and BAT actions have been foiled by the Indian Army”, he added.
This is fourth infiltration bid that was foiled by Army along LoC since yesterday. Four militants were killed in a gun battle in Macchil sector along the LoC in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district yesterday.
Army is on high alert along the LoC after inputs that 250 militants are waiting on the launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for infiltration into Kashmir. They foiled several infiltration attempts recently killing 26 militants so far this year.
However, few group of militants managed to sneak in this year and as per the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) figures, 19 militants infiltrated this year till April.
In the meantime, security forces today launched a cordon and search operation in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam – an area which is a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra commencing later this month.
A cordon and search operation was launched this morning at Sheikh Mohalla Wularhama in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district following information about presence of militants in the area.
Security forces fired some warning shots in the air to establish contact with the militants but there was no retaliation. The operation concluded at 10:30 am without any positive results.
During the withdrawal of the security forces from the area, some persons pelted stones upon them. They were chased away.
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