Major explosives haul in J&K
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 3 — Three civilians were killed and 20 injured when Pakistani troops fired artillery and mortar shells in the Tangdhar sector, the police said.

An Army barrack, a civil hospital, a mosque and 47 houses were damaged in the Pakistani shelling.

Heavy shelling by Pakistan troops from across the border continues in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara. Due to Pakistan troops' firing, 20 persons were injured and three persons died," A police statement said.

The injured have been hospitalised and those in a serious condition, including Mangta Khatana, Gulshan and Misra, all residents of Tangdhar, have been shifted to a Srinagar hospital for treatment.

Pakistan started the shelling on Monday and it is still on.

A Defence spokesman said that Indian troops retaliated to the Pakistani firing and by 4 pm Pakistani guns had been silenced.

A detailed assessment of the damage caused in the civil areas is being carried out and medical aid and food is being provided to the villagers of Tangdhar by the Army.

Pakistani troops fired over 593 mortar and artillery rounds besides 3,500 small arms fire at Indian positions from across the Line of Control.

Incidents of firing between Indian and Pakistani troops have escalated since May. More than 130 persons have been killed since then.

Elsewhere in the valley, 10 militants, three civilians and a security officer were killed in encounters since last evening, the police said.

Security forces, during search operations at Chirwar village in Anantnag district, were fired upon by militants. In the ensuring encounter, five militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed. In the exchange of fire, one security officer also laid down his life.

In another encounter with the security forces at Chonti Post in Kupwara district, two foreign mercenaries were killed.

The security forces killed three militants in an encounter at Bathidara in Poonch district.

Today, at 8.30 am, a blast took place at Badakara village in Rajouri district when a security force convoy was passing that way. It was followed by firing from both sides. In the exchange of fire, two persons, Manzoor Ahmad and Zubir Ahmad, were killed.

In another incident, militants shot dead Norah Mirza in Kote Bahrote village in Rajouri district.

In a major haul, here the Army today recovered a huge quantity of explosives from Palpora locality on the outskirts of the capital. The haul included 285 kg of explosives, 15 Chinese grenades and 200 safety fuse which are used in the preparation of IEDs.

Briefing newsmen, Brig Tripat Singh, Commander of 31 Sub Area, said the recovery was made on the basis of intelligence reports. With this recovery, the troops have prevented a major tragedy. "This was because of the continued pressure on the militants that they could not use the material in achieving their nefarious designs of attacking important installations before the annual shifting of the state government offices to Jammu." These offices were closed here last week and are to reopen in Jammu on Monday next.

The troops launched search operations in Shunglipora, Palapora, near Safakadal, last night. It was around 5-39 am today that the explosives hidden in seven bags were recovered from a few huts in the open fields. No arrests have been made so far. Reports said three suspects escaped from the area.

This is the largest haul by the troops of 13 Garhwal Regiment of 31 Sub Area during the past four months. Earlier, 200 kg of explosive material was recovered from a downtown locality.

About two weeks ago, the Army claimed to have recovered over 750 kg of explosives from a jungle area near Tangmarg, about 40 km from here, in Baramula district. However, no arrests have been made in connection with other recoveries so far.

MP poll: BJP clears 256 names
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 3 — The BJP today cleared its first list of 256 candidates for the 320 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh which includes the names of two former Chief Ministers, Mr Sunderlal Patwa and Mr Kailash Joshi.

Releasing the list, the BJP General Secretary, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, said the party was going it alone in the state and would not have any electoral understanding with any party.

Mr Naidu said the list had 95 sitting MLAs including the leader of the opposition, Mr Vikram Verma. The list had 19 women candidates and 18 sitting MLAs who had been shifted to other constituencies from their present Assembly seats.

The list included 39 Schedule Caste, 60 Schedule Tribe and 56 backward candidates, he said, adding that there was one Schedule Caste candidate contesting from a general seat and two Schedule Tribe candidates from the two general seats of Shyamgarh and Chandrapur.

Mr Naidu reiterated that the party had decided not to project any candidate for chief ministership in either Madhya Pradesh or the proposed state of Chattisgarh. He said the nominees for the 64 remaining seats would be finalised by late this evening.

The party’s senior leader, Mrs Vijay Raje Scindia’s daughter Ms Yashodhara Raje has been given the BJP ticket from Shivpuri.

The party’s Central Election Committee also considered the candidates for the 200 seats in Rajasthan. The list however would be released either late tonight or tomorrow. The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the former BJP state unit president, Mr Ram Das Agarwal, the party’s state unit President, Mr Raghubir Singh Kaushal and state General Secretary, Mr O.P. Mathur also attended the meeting.

The party has also announced that its candidate in the Assembly byelection in Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh would be Mr Dulahram. The party would contest the Assembly byelection in Mayureshwar in Birbhumi district in West Bengal, leaving the two other seats for its alliance partner, the Trinamool Congress.