M A I N   N E W S

Blast leaves two dead, 25 injured
Tribune News Service & PTI

Srinagar, April 22
At least six persons were killed and 25 others injured in separate incidents of violence in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Two persons were killed and 25 others injured when an IED planted by suspected militants near the Sopore police station in Baramula district went off this morning. The police said one person was killed on the spot while two others were critically injured. The executive hidden in a “rehra” caused damage to the houses and shops in the vicinity, a spokesman said.

Unidentified militants shot dead two persons in separate incidents in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. Farooq Ahmad Sheikh was shot dead when militants intruded into his house in Yamlar village, while Mana Gujjar was also shot dead in his house in the same village.

The spokesman said militants shot dead an employee of the Power Development Department (PDD) in the Sindoo village into Kulgam area of Anantnag district last night. He was identified as Ghulam Rasool Dar.

A security force jawan was killed in an encounter with militants at Hajnar in the Keegam area of Kupwara district yesterday. However, the militants managed to escape, the spokesman said.

The police arrested Ghulam Mohammad Malik and recovered one RPG rocket and some letter pads of the Hizbul Mujahideen from him at Kakapora in Pulwama district.

Shahid Nissar was apprehended by the police in the Beijbehara area of Anantnag district and a Chinese pistol, a magazine and ammunition were recovered from him.

JAMMU: The Army on Sunday foiled an intrusion bid by Pakistan-trained militants in Noushera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said here.

The spokesman said troops sighted a group of five to six heavily armed militants near the Line of Control in Noushera sector at around 10 a.m. and challenged them.

However, the ultras opened fire from their automatic weapons and as the troops retaliated, they fled away into the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

SGPC election in November: Talwandi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22
Supporting the stand taken by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the SGPC President, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, said today that the general SGPC election would be held in November ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab early next year.

Talking to The Tribune after performing the “kar seva’’ at the historic Manji Sahib Gurdwara in Mani Majra here, Mr Talwandi, however, parried question whether he would contest for the post of the SGPC Chief. The circumstances will determine as to who will be the candidate, he added.

Answering a question on the unity efforts between the SAD and the SHSAD, Mr Talwandi replied that unity talks hit the road block as certain leaders of the SHSAD, led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra imposed “pre-conditions” for the unity.

On the issue of the voting rights to the “sehajdhari” Sikhs, Mr Talwandi avoided the direct reply hoping that the matter would be solved as per the the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925.