Infiltration bid foiled in J&K’s Kupwara, two militants killed: Police
Police said the attempt by militants to infiltrate into Kashmir valley was foiled by a joint party of police and army during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday in Machil sector of Kupwara
Two militants were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday, said police.
Police said the attempt by militants to infiltrate into Kashmir valley was foiled by a joint party of police and army during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday in Machil sector of Kupwara, some 140 km from Srinagar.
Police said the joint operation was launched in the Kumkadi area of Machil during the night based on an intelligence input provided by Kupwara Police. “Two infiltrating terrorists have been killed so far. The operation is still in progress,” Kupwara police said in a post on X.
The army’s Chinar Corps said as the infiltration bid was foiled by the troops along the LoC in Machil sector, they also recovered arms and ammunition from the slain. The recovered ammunition included two AK rifles, two hand grenades, a pistol and other warlike stores.
“The police informed that besides the two AK guns and a Pak pistol, the forces also recovered four AK magazines, 90 rounds, a pouch and ₹2100 Pak currency from the encounter site. “The search continues (in the area),” Kupwara police said.
A police spokesperson said the slain terrorists were found to be heavily armed, equipped with sophisticated weaponry, which indicated their “malicious intent to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the valley.” However, due to the timely and effective response by the police and army, their plans were foiled and a significant threat to peace and stability in the area was neutralised.
On September 16, the security forces had foiled an infiltration attempt on the LoC in Hatlanga village, killing three militants who, it said, were trying to cross-over from the other side while Pakistani soldiers stationed there provided cover fire. The incident was the first of this kind in months.
Uri, which was once known as a major infiltration route towards north Kashmir, is now under constant surveillance with two brigades of army’s 19 infantry division keeping eye on the LoC.
Infiltration attempts in earlier months
Earlier on August 6, a militant was killed in a joint operation conducted by Indian Army and Kupwara police in Tangdhar Sector. Police had said that a terrorist was killed in an encounter while trying to infiltrate along the LoC in the Amrohi area of Tangdhar sector. Two to three other militants accompanying the slain terrorist had escaped back to Pakistan side of the LoC.
The joint team had recovered arms and ammunition, including one AK rifle, one AK magazine, 15 AK rounds, five 9mm pistols, one 15 mm pistol, eight pistol magazines, 32 9mm pistol rounds and nine 15mm pistol rounds from the site of encounter.
On July 19, two Pakistani militants were killed as security forces had foiled an infiltration bid on LoC in Machil sector of Kupwara. The forces had then launched a thorough search in the morning, resulting in recovery of four AK series rifles, one under barrel grenade launcher (UBGL), five UBGL grenades, nine magazines, 175 AK rounds, six hand grenades, tactical vests and large quantity of warlike stores.
On June 23, the security forces had foiled a major infiltration bid by killing four militants along the LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the police had said. They had recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including nine AK series rifles, three pistols, four grenades, 288 AK and pistol rounds, 55 suspected narco packets and other huge quantities of warlike stores.
On June 16, the army and police foiled another major infiltration bid at Jumgund Keran close to the LoC in the Kupwara district and killed five unidentified foreign militants. On June 13, two unidentified militants were killed in a joint operation in Kupwara district on the LoC. Two infiltrators were also gunned down near the LoC in the Machil sector on May 3.
