5 heavily armed Pak infiltrators killed in JK

Srinagar, Aug 16: Five heavily armed Pakistani infiltrators were killed by troops after they sneaked into this side from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Machil sector in Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours today.

A Defence Ministry spokesman told sources that troops, guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants trying to sneak into this side under the cover of darkness in the sector.

When challenged and asked to surrender inside the border, militants opened fire with atuomatic weapons and also hurled hand grenades.

Troops immediately sealed the entire area and returned the fire, he said adding so far, five infiltrators had been killed.

A massive hunt has been launched in the woods to nab more members of the group, if any, he said.

Spokesman said efforts were being made from across the border to send as many militants into this side as possible before the infiltrating routes were closed due to snowfall.

However, he said, troops were already on high alert to foil such attempts.

More than 50 militants have been killed by security forces this year after they sneaked into this side after the melting of snow on the high peaks.

A senior security force official said more than 1500 militants were waiting across the border in launching pads near the LOC waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate.

Meanwhile, more than a dozen militants surrendered along with arms and ammunition immediately after they crossed over to this side from PoK during the past six months. On Monday four militants surrendered alongwith arms and ammunition before security forces in Uri sector after infiltrating into this side.

A number of ex-filtration attempts were also foiled by the alert security forces after they arrested more than 40 youths who were being taken to PoK by different militant organisations for arms training in the camps set up across the border.

The youths were later handed over to their families.

UNI

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