Jammu and Kashmir: Army intensifies combing operations in Uri, Nowgam sectors

Despite inclement weather, Army was on 21 September carrying out intense combing-cum-search operations in Uri and Naugam sectors along the Line of Control in Kashmir where alert troops foiled two infiltration bids but have so far drawn a blank in retrieving bodies of the slain militants.

Army personnel continued their search operations in the higher reaches of Uri and Naugam sectors of Baramulla and Tangdhar districts respectively but have not managed to reach the spot where the bodies were supposed to be lying. The bodies lay very close to the LoC and there was a possibility of the jawans coming under fire from across the border, official sources said.

The army personnel were maintaining a tight vigil to foil any fresh attempts by militants to sneak in through these sectors by breaking the security cordon or inflicting casualties on the troops.

Low clouds were also hampering the operation for retrieving the bodies of the militants which were lying close to the LoC, the sources said. "The operations along the LoC in Uri and Naugam sectors continue," an Army spokesman said.

One soldier was killed yesterday as Army foiled two infiltration bids in the two sectors of Kashmir. While bodies of militants have been spotted nearly 300 metres short of the LoC, a search is on in neighbouring areas to find out if there are more casualties on ultras' side, the sources said. Army officials in New Delhi yesterday had claimed that 15 terrorists had attempted to cross the LoC.

However, the sources said army was treading cautiously in retrieving the bodies of the slain militants as there was a possibility of enemy troops opening fire. "The bodies of the terrorists are so close to the LoC that army might not be able to recover them," they said.

The combing-cum-search operations have been intensified to cover the densely forested areas adjacent to Uri and Naugam sectors to ensure that no remnants of the infiltrating terrorists are missed, they said.

The infiltration bid came just two days after the deadly attack by four Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists on the Army base in Uri which claimed the lives of 18 soldiers and left several others injured.

As part of strengthening the counter-infiltration grid, Army is firing illuminators intermittently at night to prevent more militants from sneaking in to this side of LoC, the sources said.

The failed infiltration bids yesterday were provided cover by the Pakistani troops, who resorted to ceasefire violation in Uri sector. Army has refrained from making any comment on the number of terrorists killed during its operations to neutralise the infiltration attempts as the operations are still going on.

--PTI