Jammu, Sep 9 (IANS): Two terrorists were killed during an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC), on Monday, in the Nowshera Sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.

"Based on inputs from intelligence agencies and Jammu and Kashmir Police regarding a likely infiltration bid, an anti-infiltration Operation was launched by the Indian Army on the intervening night of 08-09 Sep 24 in general area Lam, Nowshera," the Army said.

"Two terrorists have been neutralised and a large quantity of war-like stores, including Two AK-47s and one pistol thus far recovered...Security forces are maintaining a heightened vigil and aerial platforms are being utilised to provide over-watch,” the Army further said.

The Army said that the search operations are in progress in the area.

In the past, there have been spikes in infiltration, particularly before the onset of winter and ahead of snow blocking the passes.

Eight Assembly segments spread across Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in the Chenab valley region and 16 seats in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam are going to polls in the first phase on September 18.

Hilly districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur in the Jammu division have witnessed terrorist ambush attacks against the Army, security forces and civilians during the last two months.

After reports that a group of hardcore foreign terrorists, believed to be 40 to 50 in number, are responsible for these attacks, the Army deployed over 4,000 trained soldiers drawn from the elite Para commandos and those trained in mountain warfare inside the densely forested areas of those districts.

Terrorists used the element of surprise to carry out ambush attacks and then disappear into the forests of these hilly areas.

The deployment of the Army and the CRPF together with the strengthening of the village defence committees (VDCs) managed by residents, has deprived the terrorists of using the element of surprise to carry out such attacks.

After the security forces started aggressively going after the terrorists both in the Jammu division and the Kashmir Valley, the terrorists are now increasingly being engaged in exchange of firing with the security forces.

“They either get killed during such encounters or remain on the run. This prevents them from surprising the security forces by carrying out sly attacks,” a senior police officer said.