Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 24: For the second time in last one week, Pakistani Rangers today fired at Indian posts in Uri sector along the Line of Control (LoC) and Army retaliated. However, the exchange of fire between troops of the two sides lasted for half an hour.
A senior security official said that Pakistani Rangers fired at Indian posts in Lacchipora area of Kamalkote sector of Uri this evening. He said that the firing took place at around 4:30 p.m. when Pakistani Rangers targeted Indian forward posts in Lacchipora area of Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district with small arms.
The official said that the Army also fired back but the exchange of fire lasted for half an hour. He, however, said that only small arms were used during the exchange of fire.
The official said that it was a localized issue between the troops of the two sides. This is for the second time that Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts in Lacchipora area. Last week on May 17, Pakistani Rangers targeted the same posts with small arms.
This is the same area where Army foiled a major infiltration bid by 5-6 militants last week on May 20. Army sources said that as the militants in this sector are making desperate attempts of infiltration but they are failing in their efforts and Pakistani Rangers are trying to give them cover.
They said that besides this, during the foiling of infiltration bid by Army on May 20, some of the bullets may have hit the Pakistani posts and this could have been a provocation for today’s firing by Rangers.
Army in the area is conducting massive searches after last week’s infiltration attempt as they have reports that militants are trying to infiltrate through this sector.
Lacchipora, Kamalkote is the traditional infiltration route for the militants and in early 1990s it was the major infiltration route. However, it was later abandoned by the infiltrators after Army intensified vigil in the area. This route is nearest and easiest for infiltration and for last two years militants have reactivated it.
Sources said that the militants have intensified their efforts to infiltrate into Kashmir this month after the improvement in weather. They said that the number of militants, ready to infiltrate into Kashmir, at the launch pads across the LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has increased and has gone past 200.
Sources said that militants are desperate to infiltrate as they have suffered major losses this year as security forces eliminated 46 militants this year.
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