Pak bid to push in militants foiled

SRINAGAR, Sept 14 (PTI) — Troops today scuttled an attempt by Pakistan to push in heavily-armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir, where seven militants and a retired headmaster were among 11 persons killed since last evening.

The security forces arrested four militants and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition, while militants attacked the security forces at two places and made an abortive attempt to abduct a girl in the state during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

He said four Pakistani intruders were gunned down by the security forces in the Bembhir Gali sector of Rajouri district today.

The militants, who sneaked into the Indian side, opened fire at Indian troops when they were challenged, the spokesman said, adding the troops retaliated killing four of them.

Other members of the infiltrating group fled back into the occupied Kashmir during the shootout. The troops suffered no casualty in the encounter, he said.

He said a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.

In another encounter in nearby Poonch district, two unidentified militants fell to the bullets of the security forces at Nagi-Thakri village in the Jhullas area late last night, the spokesman said, adding two AK assault rifles were seized.

The spokesman said the security forces eliminated a hardcore militant in Anantnag district yesterday. A rifle, two grenades and some ammunition were seized from him.

A released militant, arrested by security forces two days ago, died in the custody. His body was handed over to his relatives in his village in Pulwama district today, official sources said.

He said militants shot dead retired headmaster Abdul Ahad Wani in his house at Safapora in Baramulla district yesterday.

A shopkeeper was killed by militants at Rakiban-Darhal in Rajouri district last night, he said.

The body of a youth was fished out by police from the Jhelum at Fatehkadal in downtown Srinagar today.

The militants barged into a house at Krad-Budal in Doda district last night and tried to abduct a girl. The inmates foiled the militants’ attempt, he said.
He said militants triggered a powerful blast in the Bathri-Nallah area of Doda when a security force vehicle was on the move in the area. The blast was followed by firing by militants on the vehicle forcing the troops to retaliate in self-defence. None was hurt in the shootout, he said.

Two militant hideouts were smashed by the security forces at Panjwa and Baba-Sidal in Kupwara district yesterday. Three AK assault rifles, 3.5 kg of explosives, 13 hand grenades and two IEDs were recovered from the hideouts, he said.

Processions, rallies mark Martyrs' Day
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 14 — Processions, rallies and seminars marked the Martyrs' Day functions in Jammu and other cities today to pay homage to those Kashmiri Hindus who were gunned down by Pak-trained militants.

Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of Pandits, organised a "vehicles' rally" and thousands of workers of the organisation motored down the city streets shouting slogans in favour of homeland for the displaced families within the valley.

The rallyists were headed by Dr Agnishekhar, president of Panun Kashmir, who along with scores of party activists lambasted the state and central governments for discriminating against members of the minority community who were "hounded" out of the valley right from 1990 after several hundreds of their relatives were killed.

Panun Kashmir activists blamed the state government for following a dangerous policy which had encouraged fundamentalist and antinational forces not only in the valley but also in several parts of the Jammu region. It alleged that the state government had already subjected displaced families to hardships and tribulations and attempts were being made to disintegrate the community. Dr Agnishekhar called upon the displaced families to remain vigilant against such designs.

Martyrs' Day was also observed as "protest day" by Panun Kashmir to register its opposition to the state and central governments plan to force the migrant employees to return to Kashmir where security environment was highly unfavourable to them.

Another wing of Panun Kashmir led by Dr Ajay Chrungoo organised what it called "Awareness Day" and prominent intellectuals dwelt on the genesis of militancy in Kashmir and blamed the successive central and state governments for having treated displaced families badly. They said the government had failed to evolve a short-term and long-term plan for suitable rehabilitation of Kashmiri refugees.

Panun Kashmir leaders reiterated their demand for carving out a separate homeland for seven lakh Kashmiri Hindus within the valley. They demanded that the homeland should have the status of a union territory.

The All-India Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference (AKPSC) expressed shock over the continued harassment of displaced people by the state government. It adopted a resolution calling for an end to the apartheid treatment to Kashmiri migrants. It said all job avenues in government departments had been sealed for Kashmiri Pandit youths and their chances of securing admission to professional colleges had been further squeezed by the discriminatory policies of the state government.

The AKPSC demanded that measures should be taken to allow displaced people enjoy all fundamental rights and constitutional guarantees.

Farooq has 'failed' to check unemployment
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 14 — State Congress leaders have flayed the National Conference Government for its failure to tackle the problem of unemployment even after being in power for two years.

In a statement issued here today senior Congress leader, Dr Mehboob Beg, said that the state government had frittered away its resources on unproductive activities with the result that the state was facing serious resource crunch for the past two years. He said while on the one hand the government was spending several hundred crores of rupees on the purchase of aircraft for the Chief Minister, on the renovation of the bungalows of ministers and on financial package for Bollywood artistes and directors and on the other hand it had no resources to meet the wage bill of its employees.

Dr Beg and another party leader Mr Raman Bhalla said since the day the National Conference assumed power insurgency took roots in four districts of the Jammu region and the claim of the state government that the situation in the Kashmir valley had improved was not based on facts and ground realities.

The Congress leaders requested the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah to improve his style of working and those of his ministerial colleagues and the bureaucrats.

25 hurt in group clashes

JAMMU, Sept 14 (PTI) — Twenty five persons were injured in clashes between sadhus and members of the Sahib Bandgi sect in Akhnoor town here over "controversial banner" depicting Hindu gods last evening, official reports said today.

The situation was brought under control when the police resorted to a lathi charge, teargas shelling and firing in the air, the reports said.

Tension today continued to prevail in Akhnoor town of Jammu following the group clashes, the reports said.

The CRPF has been deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident in the town. "The situation was well under control", a police spokesman said.

The trouble started when the sadhus attacked an ashram of the Sahib Bandgi sect to remove the controversial banner in the heart of the town last evening, the reports said.

Tributes paid to Kashmiri Pandits
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — Tributes were paid to Kashmiri Pandits killed in Jammu and Kashmir at the "balidan divas" at a meeting organised by the Panun Kashmir here today.

Meanwhile, addressing a rally here yesterday, Dr Ajay Chrungoo, chairman of the political affairs committee of the Panun Kashmir, said the Kashmir problem could not be solved by piecemeal solutions that merely overcame tactical concerns without approaching the strategic goals.

For the Kashmiri Pandits, he said, the strategic goal was to ensure that they survived as distinct ethno-religious group amidst-different cultures and sub-cultures of the country.