Army camp

Regiment, said three militants sneaked into the camp from the rear end and began moving towards the residential areas of the camp.

“The militants, who entered the camp after cutting the barbed wire (fencing), were engaged by soldiers. Two militants were killed after intense firing. Another militant who was injured managed to escape, taking advantage of the dark,” he said.

Joshi said three AK-47 rifles were recovered after the gunbattle. “The injured militant will be tracked down soon. The Army is trying to ascertain the identities of the slain militants. They could be foreigners,’’ he said.

The attack took place around 4.30 am. The militants, who were dressed in black Pathani suits with camouflage-pattern sleeveless jackets, had breached two layers of fencing. They fired an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) which led to the death of Naik Bhoota Venkata who was in the perimeter patrol team.

The militants then moved towards the shelters where officers were staying and opened fire. A Quick Response Team engaged the militants. In the encounter that followed, Captain Ayush Yadav and Subedar Bhoop Singh Gujjar lost their lives while five other soldiers were injured.

No backpacks were found on the dead militants. During the search, three AK-47 rifles were recovered, along with nine magazines and 156 rounds, one Chinese pistol, one UBGL, two GPS sets and a smartphone. The recovery of three AK-47 pointed to the presence of at least another militant who managed to escape.