Blaming Pakistan for disrespecting India’s Ramdhan ceasefire initiative in Kashmir, a top army official Sunday said all the five armed infiltrators who had crossed into Indian side through the LoC’s Tanghdar sector in Kupwara were killed after they walked into an “interception trap”.
“The operation is over. We have killed the five intruders and recovered huge cache of arms, ammunition, eatables and some navigation gadgets which bear clear Pakistani markings,” said Brigadier P. K. Sharma, chief of army’s Kupwara-based 104 Brigade.
Brigadier Sharma accused Pakistan of disrespecting the ceasefire announced by Indian armed forces within Kashmir. Union government last month declared a halt in anti-militancy operation to “facilitate peace during the holy month of Ramadhan”.
Sharing details of the operation during a press conference here, Brigadier Sharma said the armed infiltrators had crossed over to the Tanghdar sector’s Shamasbari range “under active guidance of Pakistani forces.” He said the surveillance devices had already been installed near Tanghdar’s snowbound heights, leading the forces to detect the militant movement on May 24.
“After detecting the militant movement, we deployed some of our interception detachments in order to engage the militants through an interception trap that was so smartly laid that the militants straightway walked into the trap,” the Brigadier said. He further said the trapped militants were challenged by the soldiers but they opened fire sparking a fierce gunfight. The army officer said the militants tried to split in two groups but the forces maintained the contact till late night on May 25.
Brigadier Sharma further stated that the decisive operation was conducted on May 26 that lasted several hours during which all the five intruders were killed. “Besides latest weaponry we have recovered navigation gadgets from the slain militants.”