Pak infiltrator killed

Srinagar, Sep 26 (UNI) Troops foiled yet another infiltration bid when they killed a heavily armed militant in Machil sector under the cover of darkness early today.

Defence ministry spokesman Lt Colonel A K Mathur said troops guarding the border noticed a group of three to four militants sneaking into this side from PoK in Machil sector at 0300 hours this morning, taking the advantage of darkness.

However, alert troops challenged them and asked them to surrender immediately after they entered this side of the Line of Control (LoC).

The infiltrators instead resorted to indiscriminate firing. The fire was returned, he said adding one of the militant was killed while three others escaped.

They might have probably fled back to PoK, he said adding still a search operation has been launched in the nearby woods.

The majority of infiltration attempts by militants were made through this sector. However, each time, alert troops thwarted them, killing the infiltrators.

Militants find it easy to come through this track, col Mathur said.

The second reason for using this track more often by militants was that a village was situated near the LoC, and the militants, after infiltrating mixed up with locals to avoid detection, he said.

A senior Army officer said a large number of militants, including foreigners, are waiting across the border to sneak into this side.

He said about 50 militants were killed after their infiltration into this side in the state.

More than 100 militants and their family members surrendered, mostly in Uri sector before the troops during the past two years.

UNI