One junior commissioned officer was killed and an army trooper injured when security forces foiled an infiltration bid in the Machil sector along the Line of Control in the wee hours on Saturday.

A defence spokesman said security forces detected and challenged an infiltrating group of militants in the Machil sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

“The militants opened fire killing a JCO on the spot and wounding another soldier,” he said.

Troops of 56 Rashtriya Rifles noticed some suspicious movement of two to four persons along the LoC in Macchil sector at around 3.00 am and challenged them.

The militants, who were trying to sneak into the Valley from Pakistan occupied Kashmir, opened fire on the army positions including on Dingeri post, which was retaliated.

The militants fled in view of the stiff challenge posed by the army troops. They left behind two assault rifles and some war-like stores before crossing back into PoK territory, the spokesman said.

With inputs from PTI