Intelligence sources have confirmed that over 3000 terrorists who were waiting for an opportunity to cross into India from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were killed in the October 8 earthquake.

A top intelligence officer told rediff.com that while hundreds of terrorists were killed because of the huge buildings crumbling, most others were killed due to massive explosions that took place because of fire breaking out in their ammunition dumps.

• Tremors across Borders

"This was nature's way of closing down terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," the officer said.

According to him, the figure of 3000 was tentative and the number of militants killed could be much more.

"Several former and present minister of the PoK government were also killed due to quake," he said.

Though India offered to fly helicopters and rescue the injured from Muzaffarabad in particular, Pakistan government refused permission as it feared that the move would let out find the truth out about the training camps, the officer said.