SRINAGAR, June 6: Indian troops on Tuesday shot dead eight militants in occupied Kashmir, the army said. The militants were killed in northern Machil sector after they crossed the LoC, Indian army spokesman Vijay Batra said.

“All eight were killed along a barbed fence erected to stop infiltration of rebels into our territory,” Mr Batra said in Srinagar.

He said army commanders believe those killed were part of a group of a nearly a dozen heavily armed militants trying to cross into occupied Kashmir.

“An operation to trace out more militants who might be hiding in the area is (under way),” the spokesman said.

The army said it had also uncovered a massive arms cache in a cave in northern Baramulla district.—AFP