3 LeT infiltrators killed on LoC Poonch; encounter goes on in Doda

Jammu, Nov 8 (UNI) Three heavily armed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were gunned down after they breached the Line of Control (LoC) in a bid to infiltrate into the Poonch district, even as an encounter was on between Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops and militants at Bagwah in the mountainous Doda district today, a senior army officer said.

''Three LeT militants were shot dead in an encounter, which started at about 0930 hrs, at Sabzian in Poonch district,'' Brig Gurdeep Singh, BGS (IW) XVI Corps, told UNI.

A junior commissioned officer of Army was also wounded in ankle during the gun battle, Brig Singh disclosed.

Troops of Border Security Force (BSF) and Army manning the LoC noticed a group of armed people advancing towards the barbed fences after sneaking into the Indian side from CRP Dhok Post of Sabzian sub-sector.

''Militants fired indiscriminately when challenged by the troops and three were killed in the ensuing gun battle,'' the officer said, adding searches were going on in the area.

It may be recalled that over 40 attempts have been made by the militants to infiltrate into this side of Jammu and Kashmir in the past three months.

Early today, a fierce gun-battle between Army troops and militants had started off at Bagwah area, about 20 kms from Doda district headquarters.

As per reports, two to four heavily armed militants were firing at the troops from a hide out.

Security forces had cordoned the area and plugged the entire possible escape routes for the militants.

Encounter was in progress till afternoon, sources said, while unconfirmed reports said one militant had been killed by the troops.

UNI VJ PD RAI1624