Hizbul deputy chief shot, 11militants killed in valley
SRINAGAR, Aug 9 — In a "major breakthrough", pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen suffered "biggest jolt" when its self-styled deputy supreme commander Ali Mohammad Dar alias Burahaanuddin Hajazi, was killed with two of his aides in an encounter with the security forces at a hideout in downtown Srinagar early today.

2 die in mishap

Hizbul deputy chief shot, 11
militants killed in valley

SRINAGAR, Aug 9 (PTI) — Eleven militants, mostly of the Hizbul Mujahideen, including its self-styled deputy supreme commander, were killed in separate encounters as security men busted their training camp in the Kashmir valley during overnight operations.

Eleven persons were wounded in a powerful grenade blast by ultras at the Rambagh bridge in Srinagar last evening, an official spokesman said here today adding that their target was a security patrol but the grenade exploded on road injuring civilians.

In a "major breakthrough", pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen suffered "biggest jolt" when its self-styled deputy supreme commander Ali Mohammad Dar alias Burahaanuddin Hajazi, was killed with two of his aides in an encounter with the security forces at a hideout in downtown Srinagar early today, he said.

One of the two Hajazi associates killed was Tauseef Ahmad, he said adding that Hajazi was considered number one in the outfit in Kashmir as its self-styled supreme commander Mohammad Yousuf was staying in Pakistan for last three years.

Security men recovered 60,000 in cash, two AK 56 rifles and a Chinese pistol from the slain militants, he said.

Five hardcore militants of the same outfit were killed and its militant training camp was smashed by Army troops in thickly forested mountain areas of Thimban in Anantnag district of south Kashmir last night, a defence spokesman said.

This is for the first time that a militant training camp has been destroyed by the Army in the valley, he said.

Three AK assault rifles, a Chinese pistol, six grenades, a large quantity of ammunition, and incriminating documents were recovered from the encounter site, he said.

In a meticulously planned operation, Army troops have destroyed for the first time a militants’ training camp in south Kashmir.

Official sources said today the two operations were part of an action plan chalked out by the Union Home Ministry and the state government besides security forces and intelligence agencies.

A Defence Ministry spokesman here described as a "major success" the busting of the training camp last night by the Seven Rashtriya Rifles in the mountainous forest area of Thimban in Anantnag district. The operation was implemented in "an unorthodox and totally unconventional manner" under Lieut-Col P.M. Bali’s leadership, he said.

Meanwhile, lack of administrative vision and mismanagement of counter-insurgent groups have put the Kashmir valley again on powder-keg with apprehensions looming large that militancy might raise its ugly head again.

"The militancy in the valley is passing through a very volatile phase since its onset in 1989. Earlier, the insurgents could be identified with their guns but now they hide their weapons and mix easily with masses," says a senior police official.

The main problem for the valley is the growing disenchantment in the ranks and files of counter-insurgent groups as the state administration failed to check infiltration by anti-social elements.

Jamshed Shirazi alias Kuka Parrey, a pioneer in the counter-insurgency operations, had claimed that scores of his boys had joined the militancy ranks again, provoked by the "callous attitude" of the administration.

"The complete mismanagement of counter-insurgents has jeopardised the prospects of early revival of peace," says an Army Brigadier.

The counter-insurgent policy has turned into a double-edged sword, he said, adding that "earlier it was cutting militants but now it was slicing backwards (towards the administration)."

A few leaders of these groups, without being identified, have shown their willingness to rejoin the militants as they feel the state government has meted out a raw deal to them.

The state administration besides failing in checking the growing disenchantment among the counter-insurgents, has also failed to give people relief from nine years of militancy.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani troops fired at three civilian areas in the border district of Rajouri in the Jammu region injuring two persons, an official spokesman said today.

The areas that came under fire last night were Bandi, Chachiani and Degwar Madlian.

However, there was no report of firing and shelling from across the border in frontier areas of Kupwara, Baramula and Kargil in Ladakh today, he said.

JAMMU: The BSF has foiled an infiltration bid by ultras from the Kandi area of Rajouri sector and shot dead one militant in a fierce encounter, a BSF spokesman said here today.

The spokesman said a BSF patrol party on Saturday observed some militants sneaking into the Kandi area from Pakistan and challenged them. One ultra was killed in an hour-long exchange of fire while others escaped into Pakistan-held Kashmir.

Arms and ammunition, Indian and Pakistani currency and a diary containing the names of some VVIPs was seized from the encounter site, he said, adding that the ISI had directed the militants to kill these VVIPs.

2 die in mishap

JAMMU, Aug 9 (PTI) — Two people were killed and 10 injured, one of them seriously, in a collision between a scooter and a Matador van at Bari Brahamana, about 12 km from here, this afternoon, the police said. A case has been registered.