Major combing operation launched along LoC, 3 militants killed
Jammu: Security forces on Monday launched a major combing operation in half-a-dozen hamlets along the Line of Control in Poonch district following inputs of an infiltration bid by a group of militants, officials said.
The army and police launched a search and combing operation in six to seven hamlets along the LoC in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch early in the morning, they said.
The operation was going on when reports last came in, they said.
There was a movement of a group of militants along LoC in the area on Sunday night, according to reports.
Meanwhile, army said that three heavily-armed militants were killed in an encounter with army troops along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector in Rajouri district, officials said.
A group of militants attempted to sneak into this side from Pak in the early hours of Monday but were intercepted by the alert troops near Kalal village, triggering a gunfight, the officials said.
They said three militants were killed as the army successfully foiled their infiltration attempt.
Official sources said that two AK 47 rifles along with thirteen magazines, one American M-16 rifle with six magazines, one 9mm Chinese pistol with one magazine, one UBGL launcher, six UBGL grenades, five hand grenades, 30 loose rounds of 9 mm, 85 loose rounds of 5.56 mm, 14 loose rounds of 7.62 mm were recovered from the site of gunfight.
“Other allied and lifesaving material recovered from the area under cordon include two tactical knives, one bullet proof Patkha, six rucksacks, six pouches, Rs 17000 Indian currency and one Pathani suit,” he said.
Official sources said that army have established an official communication with police and has informed about the recovery of arms and ammunition and is expected to hand over the same to police.
Meanwhile, security forces launched a search operation following “suspected movement” in the riverine areas along the International Border (IB) in Kathua-Samba sector, officials said.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and police launched the operation in the Hiranagar area late Sunday night after receiving information about the use of torch lights and suspected movement along the border, they said.
The entire area was cordoned off and searches conducted till Monday morning, the officials said.
The operation is going on in Samba sector’s riverine areas of Basantar and Eik Nalah areas, which are adjacent to Hiranagar, they said.
In the last few years, militants have infiltrated into India through Hiranagar and Samba and carried out attacks on army camps, police stations in Samba, Kathua, Jammu and Nagrota areas.
Checkpoints along the International Border and on the Jammu-Pathankot highway are on alert. (with PTI inputs)
KV News
