Blast kills 6 cops in J&K
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 24 — Six policemen, including a Sub-Inspector, were killed and the vehicle in which they were travelling was completely damaged in a landmine explosion at Srigufwara in Anantnag district this morning.

Those killed are Sub-Inspector Naresh Kapari, Head Constable Hakim Din and Constables Roop Lal, Ali Mohammad, Roshan Lal and Mohammad Jamal. The gypsy in which the police party was on its way from Srigufwara to Pahalgam was completely damaged in the explosion. Police sources said the explosion took place when an IED (improvised explosive device) planted by suspected militants on the road was triggered off at 10-30 a.m. today. Senior police officers rushed to the spot soon after the news of the explosion reached Anantnag district headquarters.

This is the fourth such explosion in Anantnag district during the past nine days. A total of five persons including a police constable, were killed and at least 80 were injured in three explosions earlier. Three persons were killed and 35 others injured when militants hurled a grenade at a busy market place in Dooru on November 16. A constable was killed and 10 others were injured when an IED exploded causing damage to a security vehicle carrying the son and daughter of the former Union Minister Mohammad Maqbool Dar at Shangas on Thursday last. One person was killed and 35 others were injured when militants hurled a grenade near the old bus stand in Anantnag town on Saturday last.

Eight other civilians died and two others were injured in another incident at Ranipora in Anantnag district on Wednesday last. The Civilians died when unserviceable ammunition was being destroyed by the Army in Ranipora-Khundroo area of south Kashmir.

Agencies adds: In Tuesday's explosion, two IED's were detonated simultaneously by militants with the help of remote control when the special operations group (SOG) party comprising personnel of the Indian Reserve Police (IRP) and the (CRPF) was passing through the area.

Five IRP personnel died on the spot as the first IED went off wrecking their vehicle. Another, who was critically wounded, succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital.

A second device exploded within seconds, seriously injuring five CRPF personnel and damaging their vehicle.

All deceased belonged to the IRP. Soon after the police assisted by security forces sealed the entire area.

The BSF on Tuesday arrested two teenaged militants affiliated to Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar, saying the arrests exposed the organisations "sinister plan" to recruit young men as militants.

The boys, Mohammad Karimullah Mir, alias Qadra (17), and Wasim Aijaz Khan (16), were arrested on Monday by troops of 100 Battalion from their houses in the Batmaloo area of central Srinagar following specific information provided by BSF intelligence.

A Russian grenade was recovered from the captured militants, a spokesman said, adding the interrogation of Qadra revealed that he was functioning as self-styled deputy group commander of the outfit and was responsible for most of the grenade explosions in the area in the past few months.

JAMMU: Two Army personnel and an equal number of militants were killed in a fierce encounter in Doda district on Monday evening.

Acting on a tip-off, eight Rashtriya Rifles troops launched a search operation at Bagla village in Doda district.

When the operation was in progress, militants hidden inside the cordoned off area fired at the search party, which resulted in a fierce encounter that lasted for an hour.

At least two Army jawans and an equal number of militants were killed.