Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 6

An Army jawan was killed in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district while foiling an infiltration bid today.The Army said an encounter erupted this morning when a group of militants was intercepted near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kwaja Behak Gujjardori area of the Keran sector, 120 km from Srinagar. “A group of terrorists was intercepted close to the LoC this morning by alert troops. In the ensuing encounter, one soldier was injured. He later succumbed to his injuries,” said an Army spokesman. The slain soldier was identified as Sepoy Ramesh Chand Yadav, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan.The Army said the operation was underway to track the militants in the dense forest close to the LoC. There was intermittent exchange of fire in the Keran sector during the day.This is the second infiltration attempt foiled by the Army in the Valley this year.The Union Government recently informed Parliament that 18 successful infiltration attempts had taken place in J&K in the first three months of 2016. The government said 24 infiltration attempts had taken place in the first three month, of which 18 turned out to be successful.In 2015, there were 33 successful infiltration attempts.

The braveheart

• Sepoy Ramesh Chand Yadav of Alwar in Rajasthan was killed in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district while foiling an infiltration bid on Friday.
• This is the second infiltration attempt foiled by the Army in the Valley this year.