Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: Army today foiled an infiltration attempt by the militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwalla sector of Poonch district. An Army jawan was injured in firing with the militants while thwarting the intrusion bid.
Official sources said the troops observed movement of a group of militants trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory from forward village of Chakla in Pallanwalla sector of Akhnoor tehsil this afternoon taking cover of adverse weather conditions. As soon as alert troops noticed the militants, they challenged them to stop but the militants opened firing and tried to surge inside the Indian area.
Troops retaliated to neutralize the militants, leading to exchange of firing that continued for about an hour. Army Havaldar Suresh Kumar was injured in the firing.
Due to alertness displayed by the troops, the militants managed to escape back to Pakistan. The weather conditions were foggy in the area and the militants also took advantage of that in fleeing back. Number of the militants, who tried to infiltrate into this side, was stated to be between four and five.
The militants were well equipped with arms, ammunition and explosive material, sources said.
Army evacuated the injured soldier from forward area of Chakla and shifted him to Military Hospital, where he was responding to the treatment. The Havaldar had sustained gun shots fired by the militants.
On August 22 this year, Army had detected a tunnel dug by Pakistan in forward area of Chakla in Pallanwalla sector, leading from Pakistan to deep inside the Indian territory. The tunnel was aimed at ensuring infiltration of the militants but its timely detection had thwarted the Pakistani plot aimed at pushing militants into Jammu and Kashmir.
Two to three infiltration attempts have been observed in Chakla area of Pallanwalla during the past some time. In one of the infiltration attempts, an Army jawan was killed.
Sources said the militants were getting desperate to intrude into the Indian territory to create disturbances during the Assembly elections. However, Army has not allowed the militants to succeed in their attempts of infiltration from the LoC.
Army has reports that a large number of militants were waiting to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from LoC and IB but their attempts have not succeeded. They were anticipating spurt in infiltration attempts during Assembly elections. In view of this, Army and BSF were already maintaining very high alert on LoC and IB respectively to ensure that the militants didn’t managed to sneak-in.
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