The Jammu and Kashmir Police said the two armed men are suspected to have come to the fence to receive a cache of arms and narcotics when they were spotted by the army patrol past Monday midnight

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said the two men, when challenged by the army patrol team, opened fire in Keran sector of Kupwara district.

Srinagar: Two men armed with assault rifles were shot dead by an Indian Army patrol near the Line of Control in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday, police said.

Police suspect the two came to the fence to receive a cache of arms and narcotics and facilitate infiltration of terrorists from across the border when they were spotted by the army patrol past Monday midnight.

The two have been identified by the police as Majid Chechi and Samsudin Beigh.

Citing a report by the army, a police spokesperson said an army patrol team observed some suspicious movement at a spot close to the fence in the India Gate-Bichu area in the Keran sector.

“The suspected movement was challenged by army’s patrol party. On being challenged, fire was drawn on own party from the fence side which was retaliated,” the spokesperson said.

When the firing eventually stopped, soldiers found the two bodies. the army team also found four AK-series assault rifles, eight magazines and two packets of narcotics on the spot. Four grenades and two more AK-series firearms were spotted on the ground across the fence, the spokesperson added.

Police said the seizures include five AK-47 and AK-56 assault rifles, one AK shotgun, 15 magazines, 128 rounds of armour-piercing incendiary ammunition and four grenades.