Indian troops launched heavy artillery and mortar shelling on enemy positions in these two sub-sectors and the Mushkoh valley, which were pounded by IAF combat jets earlier, army and air force spokesmen told a special briefing here.

As the battle continued in these sectors, bodies of the three Pakistani army regulars, killed along with infiltrators when Indian troops busted their position inside the line of control in Batalik area on Thursday night, were handed over to the Pakistan army authorities in the Kargil sector at 1838 hours last evening, they said.

"The bodies were handed over in accordance with military customs and dignity," the army spokesman said. He described as a "tall story" Pakistan army's claim that the threewere killed on their side of LoC by Indian troops.

"They (Pakistan army) accepted the bodies since they belong to them," he said. India had yesterday said the bodies of Pakistan armymen clearly established Islamabad's involvement in the intrusion.

On the army assaults, he said there had been "incremental movement forward" in several areas, but did not elaborate. Asked to state how many positions held by intruders were vacated, the army spokesman said it was not possible to do so at this stage but added "we have been able to block quite a few of their supply lines and some more remain to be choked. Even a few metres or yards (of forward movement) really matters."

He said the infiltrators had not found any fresh route to carry out incursions into the Indian territory. "There are no fresh points of their entry", he added. Replying to questions, the army officer said the intruders were "still giving resistance" as they were trained, heavily armed and indoctrinated.