Tanveer-ul-Ahad , Srinagar: Three soldiers and two unidentified militants were killed in an encounter last night on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam Sector of Handwara, Kupwara district of north Kashmir.
Divulging the details, army’s Srinagar based defence spokesman, Colonel J S Brar told Global News Service that soldiers of 17 JAT Regiment last night witnessed the movement of suspected people in the area of Saugam near Taut Mari Gali on the LoC in Nowgam sector of Handwara in Kupwara district.“The suspected people were five to six in number,” the officer said. “They were asked to stop, but they opened heavy fire,” he said.
In the initial gunfight, Brar said, three soldiers identified as Sepoy Bhupinder, Sepoy Mahendra Pal and Sepoy Uday Singh.
The spokesman said that in the morning searches in the area were carried out and two unidentified bodies of militants were recovered. “Others managed to flee back or are hiding in dense forests surrounding the area,” he said adding that the area has a difficult terrain.
Pertinently, this is the second major infiltration bid foiled by the troops near the LoC within a week. On Friday, troops killed four militants attempting to sneak into the Valley in Keran sector.
The spokesman said that major search operation is going on in the area with the help of reinforcement.
Defence sources said that following the infiltration bid the vigil along the LoC has been intensified and combing operations have been started.
“Soldiers have increased vigil along the LoC as intelligence reports suggest that groups of militants are waiting to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley,” sources in Army said.