Army guns down Pakistani militant along LoC, recovers arms, radio and mines

Foiling an infiltration bid, the army on Monday gunned down a militant along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A large quantity of weapons, including AK-47 rifles and mines with Pakistan-marking were recovered from the slain terrorist.

According to Jammu-based defense spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta, a group of militants tried to sneak into the Indian side along the LoC in Balnoie area of Mehndar tehsil early Monday morning.

He said that the troops guarding the LoC challenged them resulting in an encounter in which one militant was killed.

“The alert troops in an ambush laid along the Line of Control observed suspicious movement in the thickly wooded area on our side of LoC in the wee hours. The movement was confirmed through various night vision devices,” Mehta said.

On being challenged the infiltrators fired at the army.

“The troops retaliated and in the ensuing fire fight that lasted for a couple of hours, one terrorist was gunned down,” he said.

Mehta said that other infiltrators might have escaped towards Pakistan taking advantage of darkness and inclement weather conditions.

He said that a large quantity of weapons including AK-47 rifles, ammunition, radio sets and mines with Pakistani marking, mobile phones, credit cards and Indian and Pakistan currencies were recovered from the slain terrorist.

“The recovery of Pakistan-marked mines clearly indicates the inimical designs to vitiate the peace on the Line of Control and hinterland,” the army officer said.

He said that search of the area was still going on.

On Sunday, the security forces had foiled a major infiltration bid along the LoC in Kashmir, by killing three militants in Keran sector of Kupwara district.