Two Pak infiltrators killed in J and K

Srinagar, June 12 (UNI) Troops foiled an infiltration bid, second during the past 24 hours, when they gunned down two heavily armed militants in Gulmarg Sector in Jammu and Kashmir last evening, a Defence spokesman said today.

He said the troops, deployed at an outpost near the Line-of-Control (LoC) in Gulmarg Sector, noticed a group of two militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan-occupied -Kashmir (PoK) through a 'nullah' yesterday.

When challenged, the militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight and in the fierce clash both of them were killed at 2300 hrs.

He said after the snow-melting started on the higher reaches, a number of attempts were made by militants to sneak into this side.

The spokesman said troops have intensified patrolling to thwart any such attempts.

A similar infiltration attempt was foiled by troops guarding Kalbani Nar near the LoC in north Kashmir last morning.

The infiltrators, armed with automatic weapons, opened fire when they were challenged. The fire was returned and the exchange of fierce gun battle continued for about half-an-hour.

Later, blood marks spotted on the ground, suggested that one or two militants had got injured in the firing, he said, adding one AK rifle, two magazines and 57 rounds of AK ammunitions were recovered from the site.

More than two dozen infiltration bids were made by the militants from PoK in Jammu and Kashmir since January this year. About 40 militants were gunned down by security forces immediately after they sneaked into this side. However, several militants managed to enter into the valley.

Official sources said infiltration from across the border was high as compared to previous years.

A senior Army officer said: ''A large number of militants, waiting in different camps near the border, are waiting for an opportunity to sneak into this side.'' UNI