India 'foils border infiltration bid' in Kashmir

Security is tight in Indian-administered Kashmir

Indian security forces say they have foiled an attempt by militants to infiltrate the international border in Indian-administered Kashmir.

They said there was an exchange of fire in the Jammu region and the intruders ran back into the Pakistani territory.

Security is tight across the state of Jammu and Kashmir as India celebrates Republic Day on Tuesday.

A high state of alert is in place and the mobile telephone services have been jammed in the Jammu region.

Indian officials say there have been several attempts by militants to cross the border since the beginning of 2010.

Tight security

Officials of India's Border Security Force (BSF) said a patrol party near Alfa Machail area, about 35km (20 miles) west of Jammu city, noticed the infiltrators on early Tuesday morning.

"This resulted in an exchange of fire which continued for more than an hour," an official told the BBC.

"After which the intruders ran back into Pakistani territory," he said.

The area has been cordoned off and a search was going on.

A senior police officer in Jammu said: "We have a three-tier security in place all across the region with special focus on vulnerable points."

The main Republic Day function is being held in Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, the winter capital of the state, where Governor NN Vohra will hoist the Indian flag and take the salute.

Meanwhile, all mobile phone services are jammed in the Jammu region.

Officials said "it had been done keeping security concerns in mind".

The government of India recently lifted the ban on pre-paid mobiles in the state which was imposed three months ago because the authorities said the "militants were misusing the pre-paid mobiles".