M A I N   N E W S

2 killed, 9 hurt in police firing
Attack on yatra foiled, 2 ultras killed

The body of 12-year-old Lateef Ahmad being shifted from SMHS Hospital in Srinagar on Friday evening after he was killed in a shootout at Magam in the afternoon.  — Photo Amin War.

Srinagar, August 3
At least two processionists were killed and nine others injured when the security forces opened fire to disperse them at Magam in Badgam district this afternoon.

Meanwhile, APHC Chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, former Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Chief Shabir Ahmad Shah were put under house arrest as a general strike was observed in the valley on a call given by the Hizbul-Mujahideen.

Thousands of people assembled at Goigam to offer fateha (prayers) to the slain commander of the Hizbul-Mujahideen Mustafa Khan who was killed in an encounter inside the shrine of Syed Ali Shah on Tuesday.

The trouble started when the mourners blocked traffic and took out a procession to Magam.

Official sources said the security forces opened fire to disperse pro-freedom slogan shouting processionists at Magam this afternoon.

The sources said five persons were injured as a result of firing. Two of the injured died on way to the hospital.

Two Hizbul-Mujahi-deen militants were killed and two passersby injured when a landmine they were planting in Tral town of Pulwama district exploded prematurely even as security forces killed four ultras in the Kashmir valley since last night, a police spokesman said today.

Jammu: Meanwhile, security forces on Friday foiled a major attempt by militants to target Amarnath-bound pilgrims in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir killing two Hizbul Mujahideen militants in a fierce encounter, a Defence spokesman said here.

Security forces, on specific information that a group of four heavily armed militants were planning to attack the pilgrims on a 25-km road stretch between Poonch town and Mandi, launched an operation Thursday, the spokesman said.

The security forces noticed a group of four terrorists approaching the road around 2.30 pm, he said, adding as the security forces challenged them, the militants answered with a heavy fire from automatic weapons.

The security forces retaliated and in the exchange of fire, two of them were killed on the spot while two of their associates escaped. UNI, PTI

Another goof-up by Delhi cops

New Delhi, August 3
A day after a case of mistaken identity in which Superintendent of Police of Jammu and Kashmir was picked up and detained by the Delhi police, city cops made another goof-up and detained four persons, including two sons of the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami, Mr G.M. Bhat, here.

The four persons — Shabir Bhat and Mohammed Sayeed Bhat, sons of Mr G.M. Bhat, Mohammed Rafiq Lone and Ibrahim — were arrested from their residence in Turkaman Gate this morning.

The four were kept at the Turkman Gate police station till 8.45 p.m. even though the sleuths of the Delhi police’s special branch, dealing exclusively with militancy, and the intelligence bureau had cleared them by this afternoon.

The official at the police station refused to comment on the issue and the district’s Joint Commissioner, Mr Ajay Chadda, said he was unaware about the detention of the four.

After release, Mr Shabir Bhat said cops from the local post came to his residence this morning and asked them to accompany to the police post as they had received a complaint that they were terrorists.

“Searches at the place revealed nothing and I showed them documents that I had come to attend a meeting with management of M. Way India Enterprises, which deals in gold business,” Bhat said.

“The cops refused to listen to us and kept us at the police post without any reason for over nine hours,” he said.

Yesterday the Superintendent of Police, Mr Sheikh Abdul Rashid was detained by cops in Vasant Kunj area for which an inquiry has been initiated. PTI