Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 9

Stepping up its offensive against the infiltrators, the Army today killed five unidentified militants when they were trying to sneak into Kashmir from the Uri sector along the Line of Control.The fresh infiltration bid was foiled on the day Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre visited forward areas along the LoC to review the overall security situation.The latest bid was foiled near Gawalthan in Uri, some 120 km from Srinagar, when the Army intercepted a group of infiltrating militants trying to negotiate the LoC to enter into the Valley.“When the militants were challenged, they opened fire, triggering a gunfight. In the gunfight, five militants have been killed so far,” a source said. Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said the operation was still underway in the Uri sector.On Wednesday, an infiltration attempt was foiled in the same sector and in a brief gunfight two soldiers had been injured.Twelve militants have been killed in three gunfights in Nowgam and Machil in Kupwara district and Uri in Baramulla district since Wednesday. A jawan was also killed in one of these gunfights. A large quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered from the gunfight sites.Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre also visited the forward areas along the LoC in Baramulla district to review the overall security situation.Defence spokesman said Bhamre along with Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu visited forward areas along the LoC as also the hinterland where he interacted with soldiers and was briefed on the security situation.

Tributes paid to soldier Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Friday joined the Army in Srinagar in paying tributes to Rifleman Tara Bahadur Roka who was killed in the Nowgam sector on Thursday. Lt Gen JS Sandhu, Chinar Corps Commander, and all ranks paid homage to the soldier in a solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment. “Laying wreath on behalf of the proud nation, the minister saluted the hero’s sacrifice and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family of the martyr who is survived by his parents,” a  defence spokesman said. TNS