An Indian army soldier stands guard close to the Line of Control, a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in Poonch
An Indian army soldier stands guard close to the Line of Control, a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in Poonch district.Reuters file

At least three heavily-armed terrorists were killed by the Army in an encounter in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday evening, said reports.

However, there are no casualties on the Indian side. The area has been cordoned off and the Army has launched a search operation.

Colonel SD Goswami, spokesman of the Army's Udhampur-based Northern Command, said the infiltration bid was foiled by the sentries immediately after it was detected by surveillance devices.

"Alert troops of the army foiled an infiltration bid in Poonch sector of the Line of Control (LoC) at approximately 5 p.m. today (Thursday), killing three heavily-armed terrorists in a gun battle," Goswami told IANS.

Reports suggest that the insurgents were waiting and planning for infiltration across the LoC for a long time.

Two days ago, a Hizb-ul Mujahideen terrorist was caught in Shopian district in a joint operation by the Army and the police.