Alert troops foiled a major infiltration bid from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) in the wee hours on Friday and recovered a  huge cache of arms and ammunition near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir district of Kupwara.

Defence Ministry spokesperson told UNI that troops guarding the LoC in Machil sector in Kupwara noticed suspicious move of unidentified persons about 600 meters on his side at around 0300 hrs on Friday.

“The group of militants, who were trying to sneak into this side of LoC under the cover of darkness, were asked to surrender,” he said, adding the ultras opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.

“Troops retaliated ensuing in a brief exchange of fire,” he said, adding with the first light a search operation was launched in the area. “Three AK rifles, a sniper rifle, eight grenades and other war like stores recovered from the encounter site,” he said, adding blood stains were also located.

Official sources said it was not immediately clear if the militants went back to PoK are still hiding in the dense forest near the LoC.  “A massive Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was going on in the dense forest near LoC to sanitize the area,” they said.

This is the third infiltration bid foiled by troops in Kupwara in the month of July. Three heavily armed militants were killed in two separate incidents earlier this month immediately after they sneaked into this side at LoC in Kupwara.

A top Army commander earlier this month said that the launchpads in PoK are fully occupied with about 300 militants, who are trying hard to infiltrate into this side of the LoC.

However, Major General Virendra Vats, GOC 19 Infantry Division, Baramulla, said that the anti-infiltration grid along the LoC is fully operational and alert troops are ready to foil any attempts by militants to crossover to his side.  

“We have inputs that the launchpads in PoK are fully occupied. The number of militants present in these launchpads right now is between 250 and 300. They (militants) are trying hard to infiltrate into this side as they have about four summer months left before the passes will be closed due to snowfall,” Major General Vats said.

He said Pakistani troops have been frequently violating ceasefire by resorting to heavy shelling and firing to help the militants to infiltrate. “But, this tactic won’t work as our troops are on high alert to foil any infiltration bid,” he added.