Three army personnel and as many militants were among seven killed in a fierce gun battle that broke out on Thursday between security forces and militants who had sneaked into the Arnia border sector along the international border in Jammu district.

One civilian was also killed and two others were injured in the fresh bloodletting that came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu region on Friday for Assembly poll campaign.

Elsewhere, army troops foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district and arrested a suspected armed militant.

“Three army personnel and as many militants have been killed in the attack in Arnia sector in Jammu,” an Army source in New Delhi said.

“As per initial reports from the area, a group of militants numbering two to four infiltrated from Arnia belt of Jammu district and resorted to firing,” a police officer said, adding that the security grid of Army, BSF and Police swung into action and launched a cordon and search for the militants this morning.

Army sources said the militants occupied a vacant bunker of Army’s 92 infantry brigade in Pindi Khattar belt of Arnia border sector of Jammu district.

A fierce encounter broke out between hiding militants and security forces in which three militants were reported to have been killed, they said.

Encounter on

The encounter was on when the reports last came in from the area.

A car has also been seized in the area which might have been used by the militants.

A senior District administration official said that the deceased civilian has been identified as Sunil Sabarwal.

Source: The Hindu