5 infiltrators shot down in north Kashmir

Five militants trying to infiltrate into Kashmir were gunned down by the army on Monday.

Five militants trying to infiltrate into Kashmir were gunned down by the army on Monday.

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According to army spokesman Naresh Vij, on Tuesday, a group of eight to nine militants were trying to cross over the LoC when the encounter took place in north Kashmir’s Keran sector. Troops noticed suspicious movement of some eight to nine persons between the LoC and fencing in the wee hours.

“The jawans retaliated and almost all the militants were killed in the encounter,” said Vij. “We haven’t recovered any bodies so far,” he added.

The army also released a statement saying five militants had been killed. However, according to unconfirmed reports, three of the infiltrators crossed back to the Pakistani side of the LoC.

This is the second major infiltration bid since June 1, 2013, when in an encounter in the Nowgam sector of north Kashmir, two militants were killed. Two others had fled back to the Pakistani side.

(With PTI inputs)