Captain among 2 soldiers killed in 'IED' blast near J&K border fence

Two army personnel were killed and another injured in a suspected improvised explosive device blast in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, said officials.

Those killed were identified as Captain KS Bakshi and Naik Mukesh, they said.

This was the third incident of cross-border action by terrorists in the Jammu region in four days. On Monday, a soldier was hit by a bullet from across the border while manning a forward post in the Kalal area of the Nowshera sector in Rajouri district, while on February 8, an Army patrol came under terrorist fire from a forest across the LoC in Rajouri's Keri sector.


Jammu-based White Knight Corps of the Indian Army said, "Suspected improvised explosive device blast reported in Laleali of Akhnoor sector during a fence patrol resulted in two fatalities. Own troops are dominating the area and search operations are underway. White Knight Corps salutes and pays tribute to the supreme sacrifice of two gallant soldiers."

Army, police and Border Security Force officials maintain that foreign infiltrators remain a major security challenge this year. According to them, 70-80 foreign infiltrators are active across Jammu division and an equal number are active in Kashmir Valley. They operate in small groups and manage to make hideouts at some of the vantage points in the forests.