Jammu, Feb 7 (IANS): Five Pakistani terrorists were killed on Friday in a landmine blast near the Line of Control (LoC) while trying to infiltrate into Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Poonch district.

Official sources said that the five Pakistani militants were killed in the landmine explosion while attempting to infiltrate across the LoC in Battal sector of Poonch.

They said that the Pakistani terrorists were attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory when one of them stepped onto a landmine.

"One of them stepped on a landmine, triggering a huge explosion that killed all five terrorists. They were also carrying an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) with them, which also exploded, adding to the damage,” sources said.

The LoC area has been fitted with landmines by the Indian Army to prevent infiltration by the terrorists.

In addition to night vision devices, electronic surveillance and human preparedness, the landmines are an important part of the anti-infiltration mechanism in J&K.

Usually the area close to the LoC is called ‘no man’s land’ thereby signalling that nobody should tread on this land.

Security forces and the Indian Army have heightened vigil along the LoC and the hinterland in J&K as very less snowfall this season so far has left all mountain routes used by the terrorists open in the UT.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah chaired a high level security meeting on J&K recently.

The Home Minister advised security forces to ensure ‘zero infiltration’ and ‘zero tolerance’ to terrorists.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent murder of an ex-serviceman, Manzoor Ahmad Wagay by terrorists in Kulgam district of the Valley.

The retired soldier’s wife and daughter were injured in the terrorist attack.

There was a political uproar in J&K after the ex-serviceman’s killing as local politicians of the ruling National Conference, Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party criticised the Centre for claiming normalcy in the UT.