Jawan martyred, two infiltrators killed along loC

A soldier and two infiltrators died in separate gun-battles along the line of Control (loC) in Keran and Tangdhar sectors of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday. The security forces have retrieved the bodies of slain infiltrators from the dense forest where combing operation was launched on Saturday following an exchange of fire that resulted into injuries to two soldiers

Defence sources said that the encounter started on Saturday night when security columns combed the densely forested Jumagand Nar area in Keran sector. Bodies of two infiltrators were recovered from the area and two AK assault rifles were found from the encounter site.The spokesman said that another cordon and search operation simultaneously progressed in Tangdar sector. A local soldier of the 160 Battalion of Territorial Army (TA) identified as Bashir Ahmad Var was killed in the encounter while two other soldiers were wounded.

The encounter had started on Saturday when security forces found suspicious movements near the loC at Madhuri-Ragni Post. Soon after the combing operation was launched, the infiltrators opened fire and injured a soldier before fleeing deep into the forested area.Sources said this was second infiltration attempt in last two weeks in north Kashmir. On July 23, two militants were killed and two Army personnel injured in an encounter that followed infiltration attempt in Tangdar sector. In another infiltration bid, three militants were killed in Keran sector on July 12.

The Army claims that despite umpteen attempts by the militants to sneak into Kashmir Valley this summer, the security grid has ensured zero infiltration.

last week, General officer Commanding of Srinagar based XV Corps lt Gen Subrata Saha said that eight infiltration attempts have been made since January this year “but we foiled all the attempts and ensured that no one enters our territory”. He said that 17 militants were killed during these infiltration attempts, which are planned and executed from 21 launching pads set-up in PoK along the loC.