Troops gunned down five heavily armed Pakistani infiltrators on Wednesday immediately after they sneaked across the Line of Control from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Machil sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
A defence spokesman told UNI that one soldier lost his life and two others were wounded in the encounter, which broke out early Wednesday morning when the infiltrators were challenged and asked to surrender. But the infiltrators resorted to gunfire with automatic weapons and also hurled hand grenades.
Efforts were being made from across the border to send as many militants into this side as possible before the infiltrating routes were closed due to snowfall, the spokesman said, adding that more than 50 militants have been killed by security forces this year after they sneaked into this side after the melting of snow on the high peaks.
A senior security force official said more than 1,500 militants were waiting across the border in launching pads near the LoC waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate.
Meanwhile,