M A I N   N E W S

CM’s order to exhume bodies

SRINAGAR, April 5 (UNI) — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today directed the District Magistrate of Anantnag to exhume the bodies of five persons killed at Pathribal on March 24 and establish their identities through “all necessary medical tests, including DNA tests”.

The exhumation, he said, should be conducted in the presence of the next of kin of the deceased. He asked Minister of State for Home, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, and Deputy Commissioner, to be present at the time of exhumation tomorrow.

Dr Abdullah gave these directions during his visit to Utarsoo, Brari Angan and Shangus in Anantnag district, where people had complained about the “disappearance” of the five persons and demanded a judicial probe into the matter as well as into the police firing at Brackpora in which seven persons were killed.

The Chief Minister assured them that he would try to have a judicial inquiry into both the cases through a judge of the Supreme Court.

He assured them that the government would do everything possible to bring out the truth.

Earlier, speaking at a joint meeting of Muslims and Sikhs of Baramula and Kupwara districts held in the backdrop of Chittisinghpora massacre at Baramula, Dr Abdullah promised protection of minorities in the state and cautioned people against the designs of vested interests who were out to drive a wedge between communities.

Dr Abdullah said all attempts to pitch one community against the other would be foiled by the joint efforts of people and the government. He lauded the role of the two communities in maintaining communal harmony despite provocations and said the majority community had a greater role to play in reassuring Sikhs about their security.

No degree of security measures taken by the government were enough to instil confidence among the minorities of there was any breach of trust between the two communities.

Describing the Chittisinghpora massacre as a great tragedy, Dr Abdullah said nobody had apprehended such an attack. He recalled that only a few days prior to the massacre a delegation of Sikhs from the village had met him at Jammu and nobody had then any inkling of the impending tragedy. He said the deputation talked about various matters regarding the development of the area asked if there was any other problem, they replied in the negative, he recalled.

Meanwhile, indefinite curfew continued for the third consecutive day today without any relaxation in Anantnag town and its adjoining areas as shops remained closed due to a bandh call in the valley.

With one more person succumbing to his injuries, the death toll in the Anantnag police firing has gone up to eight. The police said Mushtaq Ahmad Bakarwal of Uttrasoo village in the Achhabal area, 15 km from the town, died in a hospital.

Pak targets security installations
Tribune News Service and agencies

SRINAGAR, April 5 — At least one villager was injured and two houses were damaged in unprovoked shelling by Pakistani troops from across the border in Kerna and Karnah sectors of Jammu and Kashmir last night.

Official sources said Pakistani troops fired mortars and artillery shells targeting security forces installations and civilian areas.

Intermittent shelling from the Pakistani side continued throughout the night. The Pak guns fell silent early this morning.

One person was injured in shelling from across the LoC in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district in North Kashmir today.

The police here said Nissar Ahmad was injured when Pak troops resorted to unprovoked firing in the Karnah sector injuring Nissar Ahmad of Amrohi village.

He was admitted to Army hospital at Tangdar.

Two residential houses were damaged after some shells fell at Sadapora village last evening.

Sources said Indian troops also retaliated and targeted Pak military installations. However, casualties suffered by them across the border were not immediately known.

Intermittent exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops was continuing along LoC in Laam, Bhawani and Nowshera subsectors, defence sources said.

Firing between the two sides also took place at 14 places along the international border in Jammu frontier since last night but no loss of life or damage to property was reported from the Indian side, the sources said.