Indian, Pakistani forces exchange fire, infiltration foiled (Second Lead)

JAMMU - India’s Border Security Force (BSF) personnel exchanged heavy gunfire with Pakistani Rangers at the Jammu and Kashmir border and foiled an attempt by militants to sneak into the state, officials said Saturday.

The BSF personnel fired back at the Pakistan Rangers after coming under attack at Ballad post in the Samba sector, about 45 km southwest of Jammu, on the international border at 11 p.m. Friday.

“It was an infiltration bid by militants. The gunfire lasted for about 90 minutes,” a BSF official told IANS.

BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) A.K. Surolia, told IANS: “We succeeded in foiling the infiltration bid. The infiltrators were not allowed to come near the (barbed wire) fence (on the border).”

Following the incident, BSF troopers launched massive searches and pressed sniffer dogs into service to find out if any of the infiltrators were hiding in the bushes that dot the area.

The BSF has also stepped up vigil along the international border. More troopers would be deployed on patrolling duty along the border.

“We are vigilant, but it’s always better to be extra vigilant,” a BSF officer who visited the spot told IANS on the phone.

A fortnight ago, two militants crossed over into Jammu and Kashmir from the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district. They were later killed by the Punjab Police in a village in Gurdaspur district in adjoining Punjab.