Unabated Pakistani shelling for the tenth day today registered direct hitson the residences of the two senior-most officers of the administration. SSP, Kargil, Deepak Kumar, told The Indian Express that both houses were damaged but both he and DC Shailen Kabra had escaped as they had taken shelter in the bunkers.

``Nearly 50 shells were fired by Pakistani artillery guns since Sunday night in the Khurbathu plateau area and the Baru village. No shell hit the main Kargil town. However, both the houses of the SP and the DC along with some Army installations were hit,'' said Kumar.

Shelling in the Kargil town, Drass and Batalik ridges have led to the migration of 10 villages, Kumarsaid, with the latest migration of Batalik village, six villages in the Drass area and Drass town.

The Army's ammunition dump near Kargil town was blown up on May 9 and four civilians were injured while a porter was killed in the shelling.

Meanwhile, the Northern Command HQs at Udhampur has termed media reports alleging capture of Indian posts in the Kargil LoC sector in biggest-ever infiltration as irresponsible. ``No Indian post has fallen to the infiltrators. Media reports about Indian posts falling to infiltrators is irresponsible. The infiltrators were occupying heights in certain unoccupied areas which we vacate in winter and take over in summer even as we maintain vigilance throughout,'' said P P S Bindera, who is Maj Gen (General Staff) at the HQs of the Northern Command at Udhampur.

Heavily-armed infiltrators estimated at over a 100 by the Army and between 200-300 by other reports had under the cover of artillery fire taken over heights in the Batalik ridge complex, north of Drass and theMushko valley since May 7. In the biggest operation launched by the Army's 15 Corps, the infiltrators had been cleared from most areas.

``We have been able to clear nearly half of the main ridge of the Batalik complex, which is called the Kukarthug ridge, of infiltrators. Of the two ridges lying east and west of the Kukarthug ridge, the one to the east has been partially cleared. The four areas held by infiltrators in the Drass areas have also been secured by the Army,'' said Maj Gen Bindera.

The toll in the encounter which has involved artillery guns, paratroopers, mortars and an three Brigades of the Army has gone up to nearly 50. ``We estimate that 30-40 infiltrators have either been killed or wounded. The Army has lost 10 soldiers,'' said Bindera.

He said there was no indication that Pakistani Army regulars had come into the Kargil LoC sector. Such reports are not correct, he added.