NC block chief, 10
others killed
SRINAGAR, Oct 25 — Eleven persons, including four militants and a block president of ruling National Conference, had been killed and six others, mostly securitymen, wounded in separate militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Shabir Shah's party begins welfare programmes
JAMMU, Oct 25 — As part of its move to muster peoples' support the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, headed by Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, has started welfare programmes which includes the holding of medical camps and adoption of poor children at the primary school level.

NC block chief, 10 others killed

SRINAGAR, Oct 25 (PTI) — Eleven persons, including four militants and a block president of ruling National Conference, had been killed and six others, mostly securitymen, wounded in separate militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

An official spokesman said militants shot dead a block president of the National Conference, Ghulam Hassan Pir in his house at Saloosa-Kreeri in the Pattan area of Baramulla district, late last night.

The police and the security forces rushed to the village but failed to trace the killers, official sources said.

The spokesman said six persons, including two militants were killed in a firing incident at Sarlia-Dhankhar in the Gandoh area of Doda district, last evening.

Reports here said the civilians lost their lives when the security forces opened fire at a demonstration in the village. The people of the area had taken to streets in protest against the alleged "highhandedness’’ of the security forces during the operation.

The police recovered the body of a village defence committee member Shiv Lal from the bank of the Chenab in Gagla village of Doda district last evening, the spokesman said adding the deceased was missing from his native village of Assar since September 4.

Militants shot dead, Abdul Rehman Dar at Ladoora in Anantnag district last night. Another civilian, Abdul Rashid Khan was shot at and critically wounded by militants in the Kulgam area of the same district last evening, the spokesman said.

Three security personnel sustained injuries when militants ambushed their vehicle near Thamankote in Anantnag last night.

Initially militants exploded an improvised explosive device (IED) and later followed it by grenade lobbying and firing from automatic weapons. A security vehicle was also damaged in the incident, the spokesman said.

A BSF jawan was wounded in an encounter with militants at Bonipora locality of Batmaloo in central Srinagar last night. Militants used grenades and automatic rifles in the encounter and later escaped.

Militants also hurled a grenade at Karan Nagar police station in downtown Srinagar today. However, the grenade failed to explode and was subsequently defused by the experts.

Abdul Khaliq Bhat sustained injuries in a shootout between militants and the security forces during combing operations at Adipora-Sopore in Baramulla district last evening.

Militants triggered an IED explosion at Uroosa Gawalta Morh in Uri, 101 km from here in north Kashmir last night. However, no one was hurt, the spokesman said.

The security forces apprehended four militants along with three AK assault rifles, two pistols and 51 rounds during raids and search operations in different parts of Srinagar yesterday.

The militants were being interrogated, he said.

Shabir Shah's party begins welfare programmes
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 25 — As part of its move to muster peoples' support the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), headed by Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, has started welfare programmes which includes the holding of medical camps and adoption of poor children at the primary school level.

Mr Shah, who has remained in the forefront of the ongoing campaign for 'azadi' for the state, told TNS that the first medical camp held on the outskirts of Srinagar city yesterday was a great success and the JKDFP distributed medicines worth over Rs 25,000 among the needy patients.

The JKDFP has given a call to doctors to assist the organisation in holding medical camps in different parts of the state. Mr Shah said he had decided to carry in hand a series of welfare programmes for the people because the state government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah has remained on a prolonged holiday since it assumed power in October, 1996. "Making sarcastic remarks against the Chief Minister, Mr Shah said: "We have a government that functions from the aircraft," referring to Dr Abdullah's frequent aerial trips from one part of the state to another and from the summer capital to the union Capital and beyond.

Mr Shah said he had decided to adopt poor children at the primary school level and pay for their fee, books, stationery and clothes. Mr Shah said the welfare programmes would not impede his campaign for 'azadi.

The JKDFP has also appealed to the rich families in the state to contribute whatever they could to enable the organisation to spend more money on welfare programmes.