Militants and security forces exchanged fire after an attack on an Indian Army camp in Langate in the Handwara region of northern Kashmir on Thursday morning. They reportedly shot at two sentry posts of the 30 Rashtriya Rifles camp and fled. Three militants have been killed and the encounter is over, reported ANI. The attack comes a week after the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on "terror launchpads" along the Line of Control with Pakistan.
The security forces also seized a massive cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK 47 assault rifles, and other items such as medical supplies. Colonel Rajiv Saharan told the media that some material recovered had "Made in Pakistan" markings on them.
According to reports, the militants disguised themselves in army combat uniforms. Army officials told PTI, “Around 5 am, terrorists opened firing on an army camp at Langate in Kupwara district, which was retaliated by the alert jawans."
No casualties were reported from the Indian Army side. The army officials also said that they have foiled three infiltration bids – two in Naugam sector and one in Rampur – along the Line of Control since Wednesday night.
This is the second attack on Army camps in Kashmir after the September 18 Uri attack where 19 soldiers were killed. Three days ago, militants attacked an army camp in Baramulla where one Border Security Force jawan died.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have alerted the border areas of Punjab and Akhnoor after residents said they had received phone calls, asking them about details of Army units. Although the phone numbers were Indian, intelligence agencies said one of the numbers carried the identity, ‘Pak 1′. “It is quite clear that attempts are being made in the garb of being senior government officials to contact Sarpanches and other influential people in the border region who may have knowledge of military movement in their respective areas,” a senior officer told The Indian Express.
According to senior Army officials, such phone calls have multiplied after India announced the surgical strikes carried out across the Line of Control. Although the Army handed over footage of the strikes to the government on Wednesday after some Opposition leaders demanded it, the Bharatiya Janata Party said there is no need to release any evidence. “Why should we disclose video clips and other proof? How can we make Army secrets public? It is a question of national security and it will be against national interest,” said BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma.
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