New Delhi:

Five infiltrators were shot dead by the Border Security Force in an encounter along the Indo-Pak border in Punjab early this morning.

The infiltrators were trying to enter the Indian side through the Khemkaran border area in Tarn Taran district when they were spotted by the BSF patrol team, officials said.

“Upon being challenged to stop, the intruders fired upon the troops who retaliated in self defence. Five intruders were killed in the gunfight,” they added.

“Alert troops of 103 Bn #BSF noticed suspicious movement of intruders violating IB. Upon being challenged to stop, intruders fired upon #BSF troops who retaliated in self defence. Resultantly, 05 intruders were shot. Intensive search ops is underway,” the border guarding force said in a tweet.

BSF troops had first noticed suspicious activity at the border around midnight, following which they launched a “focussed” surveillance on the intruders and set up multiple ambushes along the front. The “contact was established” around 4:45 am, just behind the IB fence, news agency PTI reported quoting a BSF official.

The intruders were carrying rifles and were taking the aid of the “sarkanda” or tall grass to sneak into India, they said.

“One AK 47 and two pistols have been recovered so far. Will keep you updated. Our troops have done a stellar job, and foiled the attempt. An intensive search is underway to find other possible weapons,” a senior BSF official said giving details of the search operation.

This is the highest number of intruders killed in a single incident along the over 3,300 km-long border with Pakistan in more than a decade, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

Punjab shares a 553-km-long frontier with Pakistan, apart from Jammu, Rajasthan and Gujarat, who together constitute the remaining part of the International Border.

With additional inputs from PTI