In the fourth infiltration bid in a week, militants triggered a blast to cut into the border fencing but the Border Security Force troops foiled their attempt after a fierce gunbattle between the two sides in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district in the wee hours on Monday.

Taking advantage of the dense fog in the area, a group of militants triggered a blast near the border fencing in Alfa Machel border outpost in Akhnoor, 35 kms from Jammu, a senior BSF official said troops of 122 battalion fired at the infiltrating militants and the subsequent gunbattle between the two sides continued for over an hour.

The militants then fled back. As the fence has been cut, a major search operation has been launched in the area to find out whether any militant has managed to sneak in.

This is the fourth infiltration attempt along the International Border and Line of Control [Images] in a week. The first infiltration bid this year was foiled by BSF at Narianpur Border Out Post in Ramgarh sub-sector of Samba district on January 4.

It was followed by another infiltration bid along LoC in Balakote area of Poonch district on January 8. A patrolling party of BSF also foiled another infiltration bid after a brief firefight when militants after cutting the fence had come inside in the forward area of Garkhal in Pargwal belt of Akhnoor tehsil in Jammu district on Sunday.