Pak intruders killed in Punjab encounter

Foiling what appears to be the new strategy of Pakistan-based terror outfits to push terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir through Punjab border,the Punjab Police on Sunday gunned down two infiltrators in an encounter at Ratrawan village in Bamial sector on the Indo-Pak border here. Two police constables also died in the encounter while three were injured.

Villagers tipped off the police about the unidentified youths wearing combat uniforms,carrying AK-47s and other weapons after they sought to know the way to Kathua railway station near Jammu and Ujj river bridge. They were speaking fluent Punjabi and Urdu.

A Punjab Police team led by DSP Garib Dass reached the place — a 6-foot-deep water pit meant for irrigation outside the village — where the terrorists were last seen. “As soon as they saw the police,they opened heavy fire. The police retaliated. More forces were requisitioned and the terrorists were surrounded. After a fierce firefight,both the terrorists were killed. Two of our men also died,” said Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police Lok Nath Angra.

Two AK-47 rifles,four hand grenades,two Mausers,10 magazines and a large number of cartridges were seized from the dead terrorists.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced an immediate relief of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of the kin of Head Constable Narinder Singh and Constable Surinder Singh who were killed in the encounter.