Army Foils Attempt By Pak Troops To Launch Attack On New Year's Eve

Naugam sector: The Army foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control

Pakistani forces made an attempt to strike a forward Indian post along the Line of Control at Naugam sector on Sunday, which has been foiled, the army said in a statement today. A team of Pakistani Border Action Team or BAT had tried to cross the Line of Control and two men have been killed, the army said. Pakistan has been asked to take back the bodies.

Helped by the cover fire of mortars and rockets, the team had tried to sneak in through the dense jungles, but was spotted in time by the Indian troops.

The intense gunfight continued through the night. In the morning, the Army launched a search operation and confirmed that two men, suspected to be Pakistani soldiers, have been killed.

The rest are believed to have escaped across the Line of Control under the cover of Pakistani firing and low visibility induced by the bad weather.

The Army also found a huge supply of weapons, which indicated that the men had come prepared for a prolonged encounter. It was estimated that they intended to carry out a large-scale attack on the Army's forward post at Naugam sector.

Search operations are still underway at the sector to sanitise the area, a spokesman said.

The intruders were wearing combat uniforms like the regular Pakistani forces and were carrying supplies with Pakistani markings. Some of them also wore old pattern Indian Army uniforms as part of their deception strategy, the army said.

The intruders were well-equipped with improvised explosive devices and inflammable material.

"The Army's resolve to keep a strict vigil along the LoC and defeat all such nefarious designs of Pakistan will continue to remain firm and consistent," the Army said in a statement.

"We will ask Pakistan to take back the bodies of the likely Pakistani soldiers since Pakistan did provide full covering fire support to these intruders," it said.