2 army troopers killed in encounter with infiltrators

Two army jawans were killed in a gunbattle with infiltrators on the Line of Control in north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday, a defence spokesman said.

Army troops guarding the border noticed a group of heavily-armed terrorists trying to infiltrate into this side of the LoC in Machhil sector, 140 km from Srinagar. The gunfight broke out after the troopers challenged the infiltrators, the spokesman said.

He said the infiltrators, whose number could not be ascertained immediately, opened fire on the troops resulting in the death of two army jawans.

The exchange of fire was continuing when reports last came in.