Indian forces said they had stopped an intrusion attempt by Pakistan's Border Action Team.
A major strike by about seven to eight members of Pakistan's Border Action Team or BAT along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran sector was repulsed by the army this afternoon. The team was supported by mortar and small arms fire by the Pakistani military, Indian army officials said.
Pakistan Border Action Teams usually comprise members of the special forces of the Pakistan Army and some terrorists. They have known to intrude into India to target Indian soldiers patrolling along the border.
In today's attack, Indian army officials said the BAT soldiers had aimed to "cause damage" to Indian posts and were "effectively thwarted", forcing them to retreat. There was no casualty on the Indian side.
The incident took place around 1 pm and Indian forces are responding to the firing started from across the Line of Control in north Kashmir.
Tuesday's assault came just a day after A
rmy Chief General Bipin Rawat said the army expected infiltrators from across the border to continue coming into India. "Even we are ready. We will keep receiving them (infiltrators) to dispatch them two-and-a-half feet below the ground," he said yesterday.
A Pakistani Border Action Team photographed earlier this year.
The army had warded off a similar attack by a much-smaller team of BAT soldiers at Poonch in June
when it had killed two of the intruders. But two Indian soldiers had also lost their lives in the initial attack.
In April, two soldiers were murdered and mutilated near the Line of Control. It was suspected to be an attack by the Border Action Team. Weeks later, the Army released a video of a
massive fire assault on Pakistani posts on May 23.