Srinagar: A suspected militant was killed and security forces are searching for his associate after an infiltration bid was foiled on Tuesday (March 10) along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the army said.

A Jammu-based defence spokesperson said that two suspected militants were spotted on the basis of intelligence inputs in the general area of Jhangar, Nowshera of Rajouri district along the LoC at around 3 pm on Tuesday.

In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said that the army troops responded with “swift and calibrated combat action” and "engaged suspects swiftly" which resulted in the foiling of the infiltration bid.

“In the ensuing engagement, one Pakistan Sponsored Terrorist was eliminated, effectively denying any breach of the LoC. Own troops have been reoriented to search for second terrorist and to ensure relentless domination of the area, supported by integrated ground and aerial surveillance,” it said.

The spokesperson added: “A robust operational posture and heightened alert continue across the sector. The Wall Stands Vigilant — Every Infiltration Bid Will Fail. We Serve, We Protect”.

This is the third infiltration attempt by militants from across the LoC in Rajouri district within a month. The border district has also witnessed a spike in drone activities in recent months.

The army foiled an infiltration attempt on March 5 in Tarkundi area of Rajouri during which the troops opened fire after noticing suspected movement along the LoC.

There were no reports of any casualties or injuries in the incident.

A day after the infiltration was foiled, the army commander of Northern Command Lt Gen Pratik Sharma reviewed the security situation in the district while appreciating the troops for “high state of morale and professionalism under challenging conditions”.

On February 19-20, the army claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid in the Sunderbani sector of the district during which some arms and ammunition reportedly left behind by the infiltrators were also seized.

As snow melts at the onset of spring and the high altitude mountain passes girdling Kashmir along the LoC and International Border become accessible, infiltration attempts by militants start to rise.

With Kashmir recording 60-70% deficit in snowfall this year, security agencies are anticipating more infiltration attempts in coming days and the troops guarding the border have been put on high alert.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, at least seven suspected militants and one security forces' personal have been killed in insurgency-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir this year so far.

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