M A I N   N E W S

Heavy firing along LoC

JAMMU, March 11 (PTI) — A woman was killed and seven others, including five women, injured, in heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch district, official reports said today.

Pakistani troops, using medium and heavy machine guns, opened indiscriminate fire on Gagrian-Subzian area of the Border district from 11 a.m. yesterday and continued with mortar shelling till 2. p.m., the reports said.

Indian troops retaliated and a number of bunkers across the line of control on the Pakistani side were seen in flames, they said.

One woman, identified as Sharifa Begum, of Sabzian village was killed and two men and five women injured in the firing.

The reports said Pakistani troops also resorted to heavy firing in Gulpur, Khari-Karmara and Digwar areas of Poonch district yesterday.

Meanwhile, a report from Baramula district said Pakistani troops also resorted to unprovoked shelling in Uri sector this afternoon.

Two shells fell in Salaamabad residential area of the district in north Kashmir but there was no loss of life or damage to property, official sources said adding Indian troops retaliated.

SRINAGAR: For the first time in the decade-long militancy in the valley, police has arrested a female militant associated with the outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen, an official spokesman said here today.

The militant, Shaheena Rasool was arrested at Ratnipora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on March 9.

The girl is reported to have been associated with the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen for the past eight years. During questioning, she confessed to have been working in close association with the self-styled divisional commander of the outfit and acting as a “courier” and “fund-distributor” among various militant cadres, the spokesman said.

The police also recovered two hand grenades and a wireless set from her possession, the spokesman said.

Though women have earlier been arrested for being sympathisers, it is for the first time in the decade-long militancy in Kashmir that a girl militant has been arrested.