Pakistani intruder shot dead, two others apprehended along LoC in J&K's Poonch

Officials said the infiltration attempt by three suspected terrorists was foiled in Shahpur sector around 2.15 am when troops guarding the LoC picked up their movement and engaged them in a gunfight.

Poonch: A Pakistani intruder was killed and two others were apprehended as Army troops foiled a major infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district early Sunday, a defence spokesman said.

Officials said the infiltration attempt by three suspected terrorists was foiled in Shahpur sector around 2.15 am when troops guarding the LoC picked up their movement and engaged them in a gunfight. Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said troops detected suspicious movement of a group of individuals close to the border fence along the LoC in Poonch during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

On being intercepted, in the ensuing operations, one body was recovered and the other two intruders ran into the forest area. The two were apprehended in wounded condition, the spokesman said.

"On 08 April 2023 at approx 2215 hours, own alert troops deployed on the Line of Control in the Poonch Sector observed a suspicious movement of a group (three individuals) close to the Line of Control. At around midnight the group, crossed the Line of Control and started infiltrating on to own side. Own alert troops kept the movement of the infiltrating group under continuous observation. At approx 0200 hours as the group approached the fence, the alert Indian Army troops deployed on the fence challenged the infiltrators. The intruders started to run away, were engaged by fire, in which one intruder was shot dead, while the other two managed to run into the jungle taking advantage of the thick foliage and rocky outcrop. The area was immediately cordoned to prevent their escape across the Line of Control," the defense spokesperson said.

"Search operation was launched at first light wherein the dead body of one intruder was recovered at the encounter site. As the search progressed in the jungle, one intruder was apprehended alive in wounded condition. In the subsequent search, the third intruder was also apprehended alive. In the search operation so far three bags with fourteen packets of Narcotics weighing approx 17 kgs, Pakistan currency, some documents, and eatables have been recovered. During preliminary questioning the two intruders who have been apprehended alive, have claimed that they (all three) are residents of Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (POJK) and belong to Maidan Mohalla, village Chanjal," the spokesperson said.