JK: Army colonel, soldier, 8 infiltrators killed

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Srinagar, Aug 1: Eight Pakistani infiltrators along with a commanding officer and a soldier were killed in a gunbattle near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.

The spokesman told sources that the encounter, which lasted 24 hours, ended late last night and all the eight militants, who sneaked into this side under the cover of darkness on the intervening night of July 30-31, were killed.

This was the first major encounter near the border this year.

Giving details about the encounter, the spokesman said troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir near Ghodetal, about 15 km from Uri, under the cover of darkness, late July 30/31 night.

He said reinforcement under the command of Commanding Officer of 9 Maratha Light Infantry colonel Vasant V, was rushed to the area from nearby camp.

It took troops a few minutes to occupy dominating positions and prevented the heavily - armed militants from escaping in the dense forest.

Heavy firefight ensued in which Colonel Vasanth personally led the operation against the militants.

The spokesman said displaying courage and operational acumen, Col Vasanth poised himself and his party and entrapped militants. Though wounded, he moved swiftly closer to the hiding place of militants and gunned then down.

In a point blank face-to-face exchange of heavy volume of fire, Colonel Vasanth, Lance Naik Bachav Shahkant Ganapat and Lance Havildar Ramanna R B were injured.

Col Vasanth and Lance Naik Bachav Shahkant Ganapat succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The spokesman said the operation against the infiltrators continued through the day till late in the night.

Later, eight bodies of militants were recovered from the area this morning.

They are being identified, he said adding a press party would be taken there tomorrow. Besides assault rifles, a large cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

This was the second infiltration attempt in the sector since Defence Minister A K Antony visited forward areas in Jammu and Kashmir last Saturday. Seven infiltrators and their families were arrested by the troops immediately after they sneaked into this side on Saturday.

Officials said about 50 infiltrators were killed by the troops near the LoC after they crossed into this side from PoK since January this year.

About one hundred others, including their family members, surrendered before the security forces on their return from PoK during the past two years.

UNI

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