Four militants, including a top commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were killed in a landmine explosion while attempting to infiltrate into Indian Territory near Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Monday.
Reports said that the incident took place in the Krishna Ghati Sector where the group was attempting to cross into this side.
“Terrorists were killed after triggering a landmine,” officials were quoted as saying by news agency KNO, adding, “The incident foiled an infiltration attempt, with all four terrorists dying at the spot.”
The identity of the slain LeT commander and the circumstances leading to the suspected infiltration attempt are being ascertained, sources said, adding that following the blast, security forces sounded an alert across the sector and stepped up vigilance along the LoC to assess the situation and prevent any potential security breach.
“Blast occurred in the Satwal-Naki area near the LoC. The area is considered to be a traditional infiltration route. In the past few years, terrorists have made attempts to sneak into the Indian side of the border through the route, sources said, adding hat in the past, too, six to seven members of Pakistan’s BAT team were killed in a similar manner in this area,” sources said.
In the past, too, six to seven members of Pakistan’s BAT team were killed in a similar manner in this area.
Following the explosion, security forces sounded an alert across the sector and intensified vigilance along the LoC to assess the situation and prevent any possible security breach, officials said.
In a separate development, Army troops on Monday detected two rusted landmines near the border fence in Basoni area of Mendhar sector.
The landmines were spotted during track construction at 8.25 am and 12.10 pm, officials said, adding that both explosive devices were later destroyed by Army experts in a controlled explosion.
The forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of an anti-infiltration system. However, heavy rainfall can sometimes wash away the mines, causing them to surface in areas where they may pose a potential risk.
