BSF foils major infiltration bid in Kashmir

The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled a major infiltration bid along the India-Pakistan border at Samba in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday night ahead of the Republic Day, an official statement said Friday.

It was the sixth such attempt in the Samba sector this month.

The home ministry in a statement said the BSF troops observed movement of a group of militants trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory. "The alert troops of BSF thwarted their infiltration attempt, which was sixth during this month in this sector."

The militants escaped back to Pakistan from where they had been launched.

"The alertness of BSF troops has thwarted the militants' plot to enter into Indian territory and carry out terror attacks on the eve of Republic Day," the statement said.

The home ministry added that BSF troops are maintaining high alert along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan to foil the infiltration of militants into the Indian territory.

On Thursday, the Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire overnight on the International Border in Samba sector after the BSF reacted to "suspicious movements on the border".

"At 10.55 p.m. yesterday (Thursday), BSF troops at the Regaal border post of Samba district noticed some suspicious movements, following which they fired four to five rounds of light machine gun fire," a senior police officer said Friday.