M A I N   N E W S

Holed-up militant shot dead

Baramula, June 20
The security forces today killed a militant who had taken refuge in a mosque at Kachihama in Kupwara district.

This was the third such incident in a month when militants had used mosques to attack the security forces.

Today’s gunbattle broke out after a militant opened fire from inside the mosque at the security forces when he was asked to surrender, sources said, adding reinforcement was rushed to the area from nearby camps to flush out the militant.

The encounter which started this morning ended in the afternoon after the militant was killed.

Some damage was caused to roof of the mosque.

In previous incidents, three militants were given safe passage by the security forces after they entered a mosque after killing two security personnel at Shopian in the Pulwama district.

The security forces killed all six militants who had taken shelter in a mosque in the south Kashmir district of Anantnag recently. Three security personnel were also killed and two others injured in the clash that also damaged the mosque.

The unified headquarters, immediately after the Anantnag mosque encounter, said it would strike against militants using religious places, including mosques as refuge.

A senior executive committee member of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (AHPC), Abdul Gani Lone, had asked militants not to use religious places for their activities against security forces.

However, Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed that its cadres were not using religious places as shelter but were being attacked when they had gone to mosques to offer prayers.

JAMMU: Two persons, including a militant of Al-Badr outfit, were killed and another ultra surrendered in different parts of the state since yesterday, an official spokesman said here today.

The spokesman said the security forces during “seek and destroy” operation gunned down a militant in the upper Kasbalari area of Mendhar town in Poonch district last evening.

The slain militant has been identified as Sohail Shikari alias Ali Asgar Kashmiri, of Al-Badr outfit and one AK-47 rifle with its four magazines and 90 rounds seized.

The bullet-riddled body of Mukhtar Ahmed, was recovered from Joora village in Doda district yesterday, he said, adding the militants had kidnapped Ahmed from his residence the previous night.

The spokesman said a militant of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba outfit, Sultan Mohammad, surrendered before subdivisional police officer at Mahore in Udhampur district. UNI, PTI

Head Granthi resigns
Tribune News Service

Talwandi Sabo, June 20
A development which may have far-reaching effects in the Sikh religio-political scene, the head Granthi of Takht Damdama Sahib Man Singh today resigned his post to protest against his transfer to a Gandha Singh Gurdwara at Barnala.

In a letter to president Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Jagdev Singh Talwandi, head granthi Man Singh said that he had made sincere efforts to promote and protect rehat maryada initiated by Akal Takht despite strong opposition in the past few days. He added that instead of appreciating his efforts, he was transferred from Takht Damdama Sahib.

He added that he had been resigning his post in protest and sending resignation to Mr Talwandi through manager, Takht Damdama Sahib.