Eight infiltrators killed in Kashmir, arms seized

Srinagar, June 30 (UNI) In less than a week, troops foiled yet another major infiltration bid when they killed eight militants near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district late last night, an Army spokesman said today.

A large cache of arms and ammunition was seized from them.

He said the alert troops noticed a heavily-armed group of infiltrators sneaking into the Indian side from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Keran sector late last night.

On being challenged, the intruders opened fire on the troops which was effectively retaliated, the spokesman added.

He said in the ensuing gunfight, eight infiltrators were killed.

The spokesman said these militants were part of an infiltrating column which sneaked past the LoC just before midnight on June 29.

Eight AK-47 rifles, 29 magazines, 478 rounds, 28 hand grenades and five radio sets besides large quantity of food items were seized from the possession of the slain intruders.

Earlier on the intervening night of June 25-26, the troops had foiled a major incursion bid when they gunned down four militants in the Machil sector of Kupwara district.

Official sources said these slain militants were part of a 14-member group which had infiltrated from PoK.

More than 20 infiltrators were killed by the troops in northern Kashmir immediately after they sneaked into this side from PoK once the snow started melting on the upper reaches.

Officials said more than 2000 militants, majority of them Kashmiris, were waiting across the LoC to infiltrate into India.

Militants have also made several attempts to smuggle in arms and ammunition from across the border.

However, due to tight security measures, they (militants) dumped arms and ammunition near the border in specially-built hide-outs.

Security forces have busted a number of such hide-outs and seized war-like stores, comprising assault rifles, hundreds of grenades, rockets and explosive material, including the deadly RDX.

UNI AG YA GC1800