5 militants killed as infiltration bid is foiled in Kashmir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Kupwara, May 26

Five militants were killed in a gunfight as the Army claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid in Kupwara district.

The infiltration bid was foiled a day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who completed his two-days visit to Kashmir on Friday, asked Pakistan to “stop infiltration and establish peace along the border”.

The incident took place when troops intercepted a group of infiltrating militants near Gagadari eagle post close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the wee hours on Saturday.

“As the Army noticed suspicious movement around 3 am, the group was challenged. The infiltrating militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight. So far, five militants have been killed,” defence sources said.

Col Rajesh Kalia, Srinagar-based defence spokesman, said the combing operation was still under way.

Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar, Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, said the bodies of the militants were yet to be retrieved.

“A search operation is under way, but the gunfight is over. We have reports of killing of militants in the operation, but their bodies have not been retrieved so far,” Dinkar.

This is the second infiltration bid foiled by the Army in Kupwara in three days. On May 24, the Army had claimed to have foiled a major infiltration attempt in the nearby Keran sector by forcing at least 10 militants to retreat under the impact of heavy gunfire.

Ever since the militancy broke out in Kashmir, the frontier Kupwara district has been known as the key infiltration route for militants from across to sneak into the Valley. While security forces have halted all anti-militancy operations since May 17, the Army continues to maintain a high alert along the LoC, as militants are “making desperate attempts to sneak into the Valley”.

Days after the unilateral ceasefire was announced, four militants were killed in a gunfight at the Brinjal forest in Handwara when they were intercepted by the Army.

Second attempt in three days

• The incident took place when troops intercepted a group of infiltrating militants near Gagadari eagle post close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the wee hours on Saturday
• The infiltration bid was foiled a day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who completed his two-days visit to Kashmir on Friday, asked Pakistan to “stop infiltration and establish peace along the border”
• This is the second infiltration bid foiled by the Army in Kupwara in three days