Toll in Jammu gunfight rises to 11

The toll in the gunfight between the security forces and infiltrators that restarted Friday after a lull has risen to 11. Heavy firing is on in Jammu district ahead of the prime minister's election rallies in the state.

A senior police officer said another body was recovered Friday morning during searches in Arnia area of Jammu district, the site of the gunbattle that started Thursday and resumed Friday.

"Searches in the area had to be stopped after heavy firing exchanges started again at the site this morning," a senior army officer told IANS here.

"Another dead body has been recovered during Friday's searches."

"The toll has risen to 11... So far, four civilians, three soldiers and four militants have been killed," the officer added.

A group of heavily-armed militants infiltrated into the Indian side of the border at Arnia in Jammu district Thursday. The security forces took them on and four militants were killed.

Sources said the lone surviving militant is presumed to be firing Friday from an abandoned army bunker in Pind Khote village of the R.S. Pura area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here Friday to address election rallies in Udhampur and Poonch before the second phase of assembly elections Dec 2.