Army foils infiltration bid in J&K's Keran sector, launches combing operation

The Indian Army on Saturday launched a massive search operation to find out whether any infiltrators managed to sneak into the Keran sector in north Kashmir after alert troops foiled an infiltration bid.

Officials said that soldiers on patrol noticed movement near Jamgund village, close to the Line of Control (LoC), at around 3 am. The soldiers went on to exchange fire with infiltrators, resulting in a brief encounter.

The Army expanded the search operation into the nearby forest to determine whether any infiltrators had managed to enter the Keran Valley.

So far, the Army has not issued any statement on the infiltration attempt, even as more troops have joined the operation.

Over the past couple of years, there has been a decline in infiltration attempts from the LoC in the Keran sector. However, it has been an old infiltration route for terrorists to cross the LoC.

Earlier this month, security forces busted a hideout in Handwara forest area in Kupwara district and recovered an AK-47 rifle, three grenades and ammunition, officials said.

"Based on a specific input, a joint team of police, along with army and CRPF personnel, conducted a search operation in the forest area of Nagda Nar, Handwara, a police spokesperson said.

During the search operation, the team detected and destroyed an old hideout and recovered arms and ammunition, he said.

The recoveries included an AK-47 rifle, three grenades, 857 AK rounds, 192 PIKA rounds, eight AK magazines, a silencer, 83 pistol rounds and other incriminating material," the spokesperson said. A case under relevant sections has been registered at Handwara police station, and investigation has been initiated, he said.

In November last year, security forces recovered a huge haul of weapons in Handwara-Nowgam Sector, including M4 Rifles, foiling a potential terror plot in the Valley.

"Based on specific input, a joint operation was launched by the Handwara police & Naugam brigade of the Indian Army in the Neeriyan Forest area along the LoC in the Nowgam sector. During the operation, the joint team busted a major hideout, which led to the recovery of arms and ammunition," the police spokesman said at the time, adding that recovered weapons included two M-series rifles with four magazines, two Chinese pistols with three magazines, two hand grenades and some live rounds.

"An FIR has been registered at Qalamabad police station, and further investigation is underway," he said.