Security forces in north Kashmir foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara’s Keran sector, killing two suspected militants on Sunday, according to Kashmir News Media.
According to officials, troops observed armed movement across the heavily guarded frontier and engaged the infiltrators before they could slip into Indian territory. “Both the terrorists were neutralized during the operation,” a senior officer confirmed.
The incident underscores heightened vigilance ahead of the winter season, when heavy snowfall often makes infiltration more difficult but also compels militants to attempt crossings before routes are sealed. Just a day earlier, Inspector General of BSF Kashmir Frontier Ashok Yadav stressed that security forces remain on maximum alert to counter such bids.
Kupwara, a district that shares a porous and often volatile stretch of the LoC with Pakistan-administered territory, has been a recurring flashpoint in past infiltration attempts, with security agencies warning of renewed activity as militant groups seek to push cadres across before snow cuts off higher mountain passes.
Kashmir’s Leh Under Curfew for Fifth Day Amid Statehood Protests
Far from the LoC, in Ladakh’s Leh town, curfew remained in force for the fifth consecutive day following deadly protests over demands for statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule.
The restrictions, first imposed Wednesday evening after four people were killed and dozens injured in violent clashes, have kept mobile internet suspended and gatherings of more than five people banned. On Saturday, authorities briefly relaxed the curfew for four hours, a period that passed without incident.
Lt. Governor Kavinder Gupta is expected to review the situation in a high-level security meeting, with decisions on further relaxations likely. Police, CRPF, and ITBP personnel patrolled the streets in full riot gear Sunday morning, staging flag marches to deter further unrest.
The protests were spearheaded by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which has long pressed for constitutional safeguards and greater autonomy for Ladakh. The violence has drawn national attention, particularly after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act and transferred to a jail in Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, two Congress councillors—Smanla Dorje Nurbo and Phutsog Stanzin Tsepak—along with leaders of the Ladakh Buddhist Association surrendered to authorities and were placed in police custody. Local lawyers representing them insist the charges are politically motivated, describing the arrested as “innocent.”
For many in Leh, the standoff represents a deeper struggle over Ladakh’s future, as the region grapples with the promises and perils that followed its separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
