Infiltration bid foiled in J

Srinagar, May 31 (UNI) Troops today foiled an infiltration bid when they gunned down a heavily armed militant near the Line of Control (LoC) in the frontier district of Kupwara, a defence ministry spokesman said.

He said troops guarding the LoC noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Keran sector early this morning.

When challenged near a particular area at Kolang, militants opened fire with automatic weapons. Troops also retaliated and in the ensuing gunbattle, one infiltrator was killed.

He said the operation was still going on when the reports last came in.

About a dozen militants were killed by the troops after they entered this side from PoK since the snow started melting on the routes being used for infiltration.

A senior Army officer said more than 1500 trained militants were waiting across the border to cross over into this side this summer.

UNI BAS GL US1438