JAMMU, Oct 21 — Two BSF jawans were killed and three others were wounded when an improvised explosive device planted in a bag of eatables on the back of a mule, exploded in Lepri village in Arnas belt of Udhampur district today.

Official reports said mules carry foodgrains, fresh vegetables and other items to the BSF posts in the village. Militants had planted an IED on the back of the mule. As the mule reached the kitchen of the BSF camp the IED exploded, killing two BSF jawans on the spot and injuring three others.

Reports said it was a new strategy adopted by the militants for inflicting casualties among the security forces posted in the hilly terrains. It is believed that the mules may have been either stopped while they were on their way to the BSF post or the bags would have been stuffed with an IED at the place from where they were loaded on the mules.

Hitherto militants used mules for carrying weapons and ammunition from one hilly belt to the other. Police sources said planting an IED in a bag of ration on the back of the mule was a serious development. The BSF and the police have started investigations and more than five porters have been taken into custody for questioning.

Seven militants, including one Afghan mercenary, Abu Samrah, were killed in three separate encounters with the security forces in Surankot and Chapnari areas of Poonch and Doda districts, respectively, today.

The police said on a tip-off the troops and the police cordoned off three militant hideouts in Surankot area and in Chapnari area of Doda district. As the security forces neared the hideout they came under heavy fire from the militants. The troops retaliated and at one place blew up the hideout. While five militants were killed on the spot in the Surankot area two fell to the bullets of the security forces in the Chapnari area.

Reports said additional forces were rushed to the Surankot area to carry out combing operations.

Srinagar (UNI): A soldier was killed and two others were injured in unprovoked artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in Nowgam sector in north Kashmir on Friday evening while elsewhere in the valley three Pakistani infiltrators and a village headman were among six persons killed, official sources on Saturday said.

Sources said Pakistani troops fired mortars and artillery shells towards forward Indian posts and civilian areas in Nowgam sector in north Kashmir. A soldier was killed on the spot and two others were injured when one of the shells fell near a bunker.

Indian troops retaliated and targeted Pakistan army installations and posts. However, there were no reports of casualties on the Pakistani side.

Militants hurled a hand grenade at the Khanyar police station in downtown at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, injuring a policeman. The grenade exploded just outside the police station building.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said three foreign mercenaries were killed when troops foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of heavily armed militants in the Thangdar sector. The militants hurled grenades and opened fire on the security forces when they were spotted entering from PoK.

Troops retaliated and the exchange continued for some time, the spokesman said. Later, three bodies were recovered near the site of encounter.

He said foot and night patrolling all along the 5 km border has been intensified to thwart any infiltration bid.

He said a massive hunt had been launched to flush out the militants who might have taken shelter in the woods of the northern area of Kashmir.