The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Friday, June 16, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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SI, jawan killed in valley
Tribune News Service and agencies

SRINAGAR, June 15 — A police Sub-Inspector, five foreign militants and a district commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, were among the seven persons killed, while two persons were abducted in the valley during the past 24 hours.

A Sub-Inspector of the Jammu and Kashmir police attached with the Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) was killed in north Kashmir, an official spokesman said today.

The police officer, Ghulam Hassan Watali, was shot dead by unidentified militants when he was coming out of his Arampora-Sopore residence on way to his office early today, the spokesman said.

He said militants escaped after firing several shots on the police officer from point blank-range.

No militant outfit has owned the responsibility for the killing, so far, he said.

A jawan of the security forces was killed in an encounter with militants at Bapora, Erin, Bandipore area of Baramula district yesterday. Further details were awaited.

Two foreign militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Kumkari Behak forest area in Kupwara district last night. An AK rifle and a sniper rifle were recovered from the possession of slain militants. Another foreign militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Domb-Gali, Malangam, in Baramula district yesterday. He was identified as Ali Mohammad of Pakistan. An AK rifle, three magazines with six rifle grenades and a grenade launcher were recovered from the site of the encounter.

In another encounter with the security forces at Rajdhani, Thana Mandi sector in Rajouri district, two foreign militants were killed yesterday. They were identified as Abul Abada and Abu Haris. The security forces recovered two AK rifles, four magazines, 329 ammunition and six hand grenades from the site of the encounter.

Unidentified militants kidnapped one Abdul Rashid Sofi from his house at Brar village of Bandipore in Baramula district last night. His Matador bearing No. 8312 JK-05, was set ablaze by the militants. Abdul is reported to be a brother of Shabir Ahmad Sofi, a former militant-turned-counter insurgent. Then the police has registered a case and further investigations are in progress.

Unidentified gunmen kidnapped Ghulam Mohammad Sofi of Satsu Kalan, Chadoora, in Budgam district from his house last evening.

Three Tamil rebels killed in Jaffna

COLOMBO, June 15 (PTI) — The Sri Lankan army today said it had repulsed LTTE mortar attacks on two villages in the east where Tamil rebels are stepping up their attacks.

Meanwhile, two rebels committed suicide after their hide-out was surrounded by the troops at Saguvil in Jaffna yesterday, a government statement said. While one rebel exploded himself with a hand grenade, the other bit a cyanide capsule, it said.

The troops also killed an LTTE militant when he attempted to run away during search operations.

It said the police at Kalyanapura and Kallampattuwa villages in eastern Batticaloa repulsed mortar attacks by rebels last night. The LTTE has stepped up attacks in the east to divert army’s attention from Jaffna peninsula, where it has been struggling hard to dislodge over 30,000 troops.

Meanwhile, the government said the number of refugees in Jaffna peninsula has doubled from 8200 to 16,767 in two weeks.

The displaced persons mostly from areas in the frontline battle front have been accommodated in 130 relief centres and were being supplied with food and essential services.

The release said officials managed to operate a civilian shipping service between Point Pedro in Jaffna and eastern Trincomalee, disrupted for over two months. The vessel, “City of Trincomalee” brought 352 passengers from Jaffna to Trinciomalee yesterday.

In a significant breakthrough in the investigations relating to the killing of a Colombo-based pro-LTTE politician, Kumar Ponnambalam, in January, the Sri Lankan police claimed to have identified a renegade police constable along with two underworld gangsters behind the murder.

UNI: Notwithstanding the ongoing war in northern Jaffna, Sri Lanka’s political scenario is likely to change in the next few months with President Chandrika Kumaratunga reminding her party leaders to get ready for the general elections.

MADURAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thursday expressed the hope that the 15-member council set up by the Sri Lankan Government to look into devolution of powers, would recommend equal rights for both the Tamils and the Sinhalese.