Bandh against PM’s visit
SRINAGAR, Dec 7 — Life was paralysed here today in response to a militants’ sponsored bandh call in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the state. A powerful explosion took place near the guest house in the Dalgate area where the Prime Minister stayed last night.Life was disrupted here on Monday in response to the bandh call given by the Hizbul-Mujahideen in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister to the valley.

Bandh against PM’s visit
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 7 — Life was paralysed here today in response to a militants’ sponsored bandh call in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the state. A powerful explosion took place near the guest house in the Dalgate area where the Prime Minister stayed last night.

Life was disrupted here on Monday in response to the bandh call given by the Hizbul-Mujahideen in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister to the valley. Traffic was off the roads and educational institutions, banks and some government offices were closed. Attendance in other offices was less due to the lack of transport on the roads. However, there was partial response to the bandh call in other major towns. The inter-district transport plied normally, police said.

Meanwhile, four militants have been killed in separate incidents across the valley since yesterday, while the Jammu and Kashmir police apprehended four suspects from various areas in Srinagar.

Three militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Sheikhgund in Anantnag district last evening. They have been identified as Bashir Ahmad Sheikh alias Bilal, a "battalion commander" of the Hizbul- Mujahideen from the Chhatlagul area in the same district, Mohamad Iqbal Mochi, also a "battalion commander" of the Hizbul Mujahideen from Kishtwar and a Pak national, Muzamil, Bashir Ahmad is reported to have been involved in recent blasts at Achchabal and Anantnag. Two AK rifles and a large quantity of ammunition was recovered from the site of the encounter, a defence spokesman said.

One militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Sheikhnar in the Lolab area of Kupwara district.

Militants fired at the guards posted at the house of Ghulam Ahmad Reshi, a block president of the National Conference last night. The guards retaliated, the police said.

14 militants killed in valley
Tribune News Service and UNI

SRINAGAR, Dec 7 — The security forces killed 14 militants, including seven foreign mercenaries, and captured four others, while ultras attacked the house of a National Conference leader in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

A defence spokesman said this evening that seven foreign militants were killed during an operation launched by the Army, 7 km northeast of Rajouri. Some sophisticated arms were seized in the operation. The militants were involved in numerous killings, rape and abduction cases.

Meanwhile, the second day of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference-sponsored bandh called in protest against Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to the state passed off without major incident.

An official spokesman said here the security forces killed three militants during a search operation at Harda Turoo village in the Anantnag district late last night. Two AK-56 rifles, four grenades, a grenade launcher and a wireless set were hauled in the operation.

The security forces also gunned down a militant at Lolab during an encounter last evening. An assault rifle, five magazines and 148 rounds were recovered from the slain militant.

The security forces killed three militants at Mote-Dhar early this morning in a fierce encounter which was continuing even when reports last came in.

Militants attacked the house of a National Conference block president Ghulam Ahmad Reshi at Kunzar in Baramula late last night. Security guards deployed there returned the fire but the militants managed to escape.

The forces captured four militants and recovered some arms and ammunition in the Kashmir valley during overnight operation.

Meanwhile, life was paralysed here today in response to a militants’ sponsored bandh call in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to the state. A powerful explosion took place near the guest house in the Dalgate area where the Prime Minister stayed last night.

Life was disrupted here on Monday in response to the bandh call given by the Hizbul-Mujahideen in protest against the visit of the Prime Minister to the valley. Traffic was off the roads and educational institutions, banks and some government offices were closed. Attendance in other offices was less due to the lack of transport on the roads. However, there was partial response to the bandh call in other major towns. The inter-district transport plied normally, police said.