Soldier, woman killed and infiltration bid foiled in J and K

Srinagar, May 29 (UNI) A soldier was killed when security forces foiled yet another attempt by heavily armed militants to infiltrate into this side from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) in Machil sector in Jammu and Kashmir early this morning.

In other militancy related incidents across the state gunmen killed one woman while one ultra surrendered after returning from POK.

Official sources said security forces guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side in Machil sector in the wee hours today under the cover of darkness.

When challenged and asked to surrender, militants opened fire.

Troops also retaliated and the fierce encounter continued for about fifteen minutes. One soldier lost his life, they said adding the militants managed to escape.

A massive search operation has been launched in the entire area, including woods, to nab the infiltrators. However, it is believed that they might have crossed over to POK again.

This was the fourth attempt by militants, waiting in different camps near the LoC across the border, to infiltrate into this side.

Two similar attempts were foiled in Jammu region while one was thwarted in Kupwara during the past one month.

A senior security force official said that about 1500 militants are in different camps across the border to sneak into this side.

A militant surrendered before police at Kupwara after returning from POK on Pakistani passport.

About 50 militants and their family member surrendered before security forces in Uri and other sectors after their return from POK during the past two years.

He said a woman was shot at and was wounded critically by gunmen at Waghama in south Kashmir last night. She was admitted to a hospital where she died.

Security forces detected an unexploded shell in the forest area near Sairiman village in the frontier district of Kupwara last night. Later, the shell was defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad of the Army.

A police spokesman said militants attacked a police patrolling party at Shagni in Ramban district of Jammu region last evening.

Police also retaliated and in the encounter two horses of Mohammad Yaseen were killed and a militant was reportedly injured. The injured militant later managed to escape.

Security forces recovered eight hand grenades from Ramban.

UNI