5 mercenaries, ITBP Asstt Comdt
killed in valley
SRINAGAR, Nov 2 — Twenty-one persons, including 14 militants and four securitymen, were killed and eight injured in Jammu and Kashmir, where a Congress block president was injured in an attack by militants.
Homage paid to Major Sharma
SRINAGAR, Nov 2 — To commemorate martyrdom of late Major Somnath Sharma, the first Param Vir Chakra winner of Independent India, who made the supreme sacrifice by laying down his life while fighting raiders from Pakistan in 1947, Martyrdom Commemoration Ceremony, was held at Budgam today.

5 mercenaries, ITBP Asstt Comdt
killed in valley

SRINAGAR, Nov 2 (PTI) — Twenty-one persons, including 14 militants and four securitymen, were killed and eight injured in Jammu and Kashmir, where a Congress block president was injured in an attack by militants.

Eight foreign mercenaries, four each belonging to Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar and Lashkar-e-Toiba outfits, were killed in two separate encounters with security forces at Dhok Katha-Loran Mandi village in Poonch and Rehal-Darhal in Rajouri districts of Jammu region last night, an official spokesman said here today.

Four AK assault rifles, a rocket projectile gun, two telescopic rifles, two wireless sets, ten hand grenades, Indian currency worth Rs 50,000/- and Pakistani currency worth Rs 1000/- were seized from the Harkat-ul-Ansar militants killed in Poonch district, he said.

Five foreign mercenaries and assistant commandant of ITBP, Ashok Kumar Rana, were killed in a gun fight on the Peer Panjal mountain ranges today, ITBP said in Delhi.

Rana, who served Special Protection Group (SPG) as a trained commando, was leading a team of 20 ITBP personnel to engage the mercenaries holed up in thick pine forest of the higher reaches of Peer Panjal, an ITBP release said.

7 RR renovates house
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR,  Nov 2 — The seventh Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles on Saturday handed over a renovated two-storeyed house to its owner at Shangas in the Achchabal area of Anantnag district. This house had been extensively damaged in an encounter on September 5 last when two foreign militants were hiding inside it. Both militants and one jawan of 7RR were killed in the encounter.

A Defence spokesman said here that the troops of 7 RR assisted by volunteers from the village, carried out reconstruction of the house and it has also been extensively renovated by the RR unit at their own expenses. The owner of the house, Ghulam Mohammad Wani alongwith his family, reoccupied the house after it was ceremoniously handed over to him in the presence of village Muqadam, Sadar-e-Auqaf and other locals.

Concern over "raw deal" to Sikhs
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 2 — The state Sikh Unity Forum has expressed concern over what it called "raw deal" being given to the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir in matters relating to recruitment and postings and promotions in the government no senior Sikh officer of the rank of commissioner in the civil secretariat.

The president of the forum, Mr Rajinder Singh, alleged here today that Sikh candidates were ignored while making recruitments in government departments.

The forum chief accused the Chief Minister of dilly-dallying on his commitment of sanctioning Rs 1 lakh and adjustment of one member each of the families of those killed in riots in Jammu on January 13,1989. He said no compensation had been given to the sufferers of the riots. The government had not yet released the Ansari Commission report on the riots. The forum lambasted the central and state governments for their failure to control the prices of essential commodities. It demanded that Labana Baradari should be declared backward and permission given to Sikh pilgrims to visit shrines in Pakistan.

Homage paid to Major Sharma
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 2 — To commemorate martyrdom of late Major Somnath Sharma, the first Param Vir Chakra winner of Independent India, who made the supreme sacrifice by laying down his life while fighting raiders from Pakistan in 1947, Martyrdom Commemoration Ceremony, was held at Budgam today.

GOC Victor forces Maj-Gen RK Kaushal, VSM laid the wreath to pay homage to the martyr. Several senior civil and police officers were present on the occasion. Agha Syed Mehmood, Minister of State for Industries was also among those present on the occasion.

Snake causes scare in classroom
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Nov 2 — A student of Kadlar Nagrota school had a narrow escape when a two-and-a-half-feet-long poisonous snake suddenly came out of his bag when he opened it to take out a book.

The incident created panic among the students but the class teacher, Mr Kewal Gandotra, killed the snake with a stick.

The student from whose bag the snake came out, later said that on the previous day the snake was seen in his house.

Fortunately, the snake did not cause harm to any student.

"Snow Leopards" is 13

SRINAGAR, Nov 2 (PTI) — The Army aviation squadron, "snow leopards", operating in Kashmir is celebrating the 13th anniversary of the aviation crops, a defence release said here today.

The 663 Recce and Observation Squadron, popularly known as "Snow Leopards" is at present deployed in Kashmir and is commanded by Colonel D.S. Yadav.

The squadron has three Recce and Observation flights, a utility helicopter flight and a maintenance flight.

The squadron besides carrying out combat support in Kashmir has been entrusted with the task of aerial and logistic support in forward posts along the Line of Control.