The Border Security Force said on Saturday that they had shot dead five infiltrators along the India-Pakistan International border in Punjab.

The border guarding force said the infiltrators fired on the troops when they were asked to stop. The Border Security Force retaliated the firing and killed them.

A BSF official said the incident took place around 4.45 am near the Bhikhiwind town of Taran Taran district, according to PTI. One AK-47 and two pistols have been seized for the intruders.

Officials said the troops noticed suspicious activity around midnight and subsequently launched a search operation. “Contact was established” early in the morning, they said, adding that the infiltrators had rifles and were hiding behind tall grass in the area.

Another official said that this was the highest number of intruders killed in a single incident in a decade along the more than 3,300 km-long that India shares with Pakistan. Punjab shares 553 km of the border with Pakistan, besides Jammu, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

A search operation is underway to find other possible intruders or weapons.