Encounter breaks out along LoC in J&K's Uri, infiltration bid thwarted

Srinagar, Oct 20 (IANS) Security forces opened fire on Sunday after noticing suspicious movement along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The Army’s Srinagar-headquartered Chinar Corps said, “Based on intelligence inputs regarding likely infiltration bid, a joint anti-infiltration operation was launched by the Army and police along LoC in general area Uri, Baramulla. Alert troops spotted suspicious activity and challenged, which resulted in terrorists opening indiscriminate fire. Vigilant troops responded with effective fire. Operation is in progress.”

Terrorists based in the Pakistan-occupied part of J&K (POJK) have been trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir to disturb the prevailing peace after a largely people-participative Lok Sabha and Assembly elections ended without any terrorist attack to disrupt the democratic process.

The terrorists, especially, hardcore foreign mercenaries have carried out several hit-and-run attacks on the Army, other security forces and civilians in hilly districts of the Jammu division, including Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi districts.

Over 4,000 trained commandos drawn from the elite Para commando force and those trained in mountain warfare have been deployed in the densely forested areas of these districts to prevent the terrorists from carrying out ambush attacks and then hiding in the difficult forest areas.

In addition to the deployment of the Army and the CRPF in these mountainous districts, police have also issued automatic weapons to the village defence committees (VDCs).

The VDCs are groups of civilians trained to handle weapons to protect their villages and families from terrorists in remote, inaccessible areas of the Jammu division.

Terrorists on Thursday killed a non-local Bihar resident identified as Ashok Chouhan in the Zainpora area of Valley’s Shopian district. Security forces have launched a manhunt to trace the assassins. The attack was widely condemned by everybody including the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

--IANS

sq/dpb