Three soldiers, one Border Security Force officer, and three suspected militants were killed during a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday. The gunfight began around 1 am and lasted till 4 am after the Indian Army and the Border Security Force intercepted a group of alleged infiltrators along the Line of Control.

“Suspicious movement of unidentified persons detected by own patrolling party near LC fence at Machil Sector (in Kupwara district of north Kashmir) on night 7-8 November at 0100 hours,” the official handle of the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps unit tweeted. “Terrorists trying to infiltrate intercepted by own troops; contact established. One terrorist eliminated. One AK and two bags recovered. Joint Operation in progress.”

Advertisement

The Border Security Force officer was identified as constable Sudip Sarkar, reported ANI.

“Terrorists movement was tracked by surveillance devices,” a statement from the Indian Army’s spokesperson said. “Contact was re-established at 1020h when heavy fire was drawn by own search parties approximately 1.5 km from the LoC. In the ensuing firefight two more terrorists were killed. Own troops suffered three KIA [killed in action] and two injured. Injured soldiers have been evacuated.”

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha offered condolences to the families of the personnel killed, and paid tributes to them, reported The Indian Express. He said that the country would always remain indebted to those who have laid down their lives to protect it.

Last week, two suspected militants were killed, while another surrendered before security forces during an overnight gunfight in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. On November 1, Hizbul Mujahideen’s new operations commander Saifullah was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Srinagar, the police said.