The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said that three suspected militants were arrested in Kathua district, PTI reported.

Jammu Inspector General of Police Makesh Singh told the news agency that a truck was intercepted at 8 am on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway, and six AK-47 rifles were found inside it. Singh said the truck was on its way to Kashmir from Bamyal area of Punjab.

The arrested men hail from Kashmir and are being questioned about the weapons.

Police said the search of the truck is underway. The militants are believed to have infiltrated from across the International Border near Pathankot with the help of over-ground workers.

On Wednesday, the police had said a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore town. The police said he was responsible for the attack on four civilians, including a minor, on Saturday.

On Monday, the police had arrested eight suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba militants accused of threatening and intimidating local residents.

This came days after the Indian Army had warned that Pakistan had stepped up attempts to push as many terrorists as possible into Jammu and Kashmir. The Army said they caught two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists during one such attempt last month.

Jammu and Kashmir was put under prohibitory orders and an unprecedented communications blackout on August 4 as the government prepared to announce the revocation of the region’s autonomy. Prohibitory orders are being lifted gradually but the communications blockade remains in many parts. Some protests have been reported in the region after the decision.

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