Five militants killed as Army foils infiltration bid

Five militants were killed as the Army on Monday foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Kashmir.

“Alert troops noticed some suspicious movement along the Line of Control in Uri Sector in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district this morning and challenged the intruders,” an Army official said.

He said the intruders opened fire at the Army positions which was retaliated by the soldiers. “Two militants were killed in the initial exchange of firing while three others were killed late in the day,” the official said.

He said search operations were continuing in the area till reports came in. He said arms, ammunition and war-like stores were recovered from scene of the gun-battle.

This is the fourth infiltration bid foiled by the Army along the LoC in Kashmir in the past three weeks, killing 12 militants.

Death toll rises to 58

In continuing clashes, one youth was killed and another critically injured on Monday as protesters and security forces faced off in Srinagar, taking the death toll to 58. Curfew is in force in parts of Kashmir.

One youth injured in clashes between protesters and security forces at Batamaloo in the city was brought to the SMHS hospital with grievous injuries, a police official said. However, the doctors declared him “brought dead”, he said adding that efforts were on to ascertain his identity. In another incident in Bijbehara town of Anantnag, one youth was critically injured after being hit by a tear smoke shell in the head, the official said.

Internet and mobile services across the Valley remained suspended as part of the security drill ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. While all mobile phone services used to be shut during the I-Day celebrations over the past 10 years, BSNL mobiles were working on Monday.