Soldier injured in Poonch encounter with militants, search under way near LoC

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POONCH: A soldier was injured in an exchange of fire with militants who were trying to cross the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

The encounter took place in the forward Ranger Nullah area of Gulpur sector late on Friday night when the Indian troops noticed at least three heavily armed militants trying to infiltrate into India under the cover of thick foliage and darkness, they said.

A soldier was injured in the brief firing and the militantsts managed to slip into the nearby dense forest. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area and a massive search operation is under way to trace and neutralise the terrorists, the officials said.