Heavy shelling on eve of PM's visit
JAMMU, Dec 3 — Several border areas in the Uri sector, including Bijhama, Grija Gali and Malangaam were rocked by heavy Pakistani shelling on Indian villages and pickets. Reports reaching here said that from last evening onwards Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing.

Heavy shelling on eve of PM's visit
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 3 — Several border areas in the Uri sector, including Bijhama, Grija Gali and Malangaam were rocked by heavy Pakistani shelling on Indian villages and pickets. Reports reaching here said that from last evening onwards Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing.

According to these reports Pakistani soldiers advanced towards the border. Indian troops retaliated damaging half-a-dozen bunkers. Official sources said that Pakistani troops fired more than 100 rounds and over 20 artillery shells. More than 200 residents of the border villages are said to have fled to safer places.

Pakistani troops also resorted to unprovoked shelling in the Kupwara and Kargil sectors. More than 50 artillery shells were fired on Indian villages besides several hundred rounds. In the Siachen glacier region Pakistani troops fired more than 50 artillery shells and over 500 rounds. The Indian troops retaliated in all the sectors.

Official sources said that the renewed shelling of the border villages was part of Pakistan's plan to force Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to cancel his scheduled visit to the Kargil and Tangdhar border areas between December 6 and 7. The Prime Minister is likely to visit Leh, Srinagar and Jammu and review the security situation.

A team of senior police officers led by Director General Police, Gurbachan Jagat flew to the Tangdhar area to supervise the security arrangements required for the Prime Minister's visit.

Meanwhile, two militants were killed in an encounter with the police and the Army in Mohalla Killa in Bhaderwah today. On a specific information the Special Operations Group of the police cordoned off a house where some militants were hiding. The militants immediately opened fire and troops were called in to assist the police in eliminating the insurgents. Two militants are said to have escaped. One sniper rifle, one assault rifle and several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the two slain militants.

26 school children hurt in mishap

JAMMU, Dec 3 (PTI) — A driver was killed and 26 school children and several teachers injured when a bus carrying them met with an accident at Poonch district's Ucchard village, about 160 km from here, police reports said here today.

The bus was on its way from Poonch to Mendhar via Krishna Gatti when the accident took place yesterday, the reports said, adding technical failure was probably behind the accident.

Of the injured, four received serious injuries and were admitted to district hospitals of Poonch and Rajouri, they said.