M A I N   N E W S

Curfew imposed on Kishtwar
9 militants shot dead
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service and agencies

JAMMU, Nov 25 — An indefinite curfew was imposed on Kishtwar town in Doda district to prevent violence following the massacre of five bus passengers belonging to a minority community.

The police said curfew restrictions were imposed late last night as a precautionary measure to keep the situation under control. Senior police officers from Doda, including SSP, Ashkoor Wani, rushed to Kishtwar to supervise the security arrangements.

The police and paramilitary forces patrolled the town to enforce the restrictions. The Army has been directed to stand-by in case of any emergency. There was complete hartal in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah towns in protest against the killings.

In Jammu city life was paralysed when groups of youths armed with lathis damaged over a dozen Matadors and threewheelers in different parts of the city. Activists of the Shiv Sena and other organisations held processions and raised anti-Pakistan and anti-militants slogans.

Buses remained off the road. Transport services on inter-district and inter-state routes were also affected. Most shopping centres remained closed and work in government offices and banks was hit.

President of the BJP local unit, Mr D.K. Kotwal, led a procession from the party headquarters in protest against the killings. The workers tried to hold a dharna in front of the Civil Secretariat but the police stopped them. More than 30 BJP leaders, including Mr Kotwal, Mr Bhali Bhagat, Ashok Khajuria and Mr Piara Singh, courted arrest.

They were bundled into a van and later released.

Mr Kotwal said he had urged the Prime Minister to withdraw the ceasefire offer due to the stepped-up militancy. He said there was a need for an offensive against the militants who were out to wreck the peace process.

Fourteen persons, including nine militants and three security personnel, were killed in Kashmir. While nine persons were injured in a grenade explosion and en infiltration bid was foiled by the Army since last evening.

An official spokesman said three militants and a jawan were killed in a fierce encounter at Brari-Sawiian in Poonch district of Jammu last night.

Security forces killed two Hizbul Mujahideen activists in an encounter at Khayam chowk in downtown Srinagar, he said. However, residents alleged the two were killed in a “fake” encounter. Two foreign mercenaries were killed at Chakla village in Baramula district.

Militants shot dead a policeman at Kulgam in Anantnag district today and a civilian near Ladoo-Pampore in Pulwama district last night. A released militant was shot dead by ultras in the Sopore area of Baramula. Another ultra was killed in a joint operation by the Army and the police in the same district.

Ultras gunned down Manzoor Ahmad, an SPO, and a counter-insurgent in separate attack at Krimshore in Badgam district, the spokesman said.