J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Four militants among six killed in Valley
Baramula, October 10
Six militants, four belonging to pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed, while four others surrendered in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours. The security forces also arrested a militant and recovered RDX and other arms and ammunitions in the valley overnight, an official spokesman said.

In video: Several houses damaged in Pakistan firing. (28k, 56k) An Amy officer shows the roof of a school building damaged in Pakistani shelling at Sutandaki in the Uri sector of north Kashmir on Thursday. — PTI

JKLF leader taken into preventive custody
Srinagar, October 10
Senior Vice-Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Mr Javid Ahmad Mir, was taken into preventive custody along with six party activists for staging a demonstration here today, official sources said.

FIR motivated, says ex-minister
Srinagar, October 10
Senior National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Minister, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah has termed the coalition government’s action to lodge a vigilance case against him as a “political vendetta, witch hunting and politically motivated”.

Probe into custodial death
Jammu, October 10
The district authorities today ordered a magisterial probe into the custodial death of a civilian in the Latti area of Udhampur district, official sources said here today.

• Two booked for misappropriating GPF payment

Four militants among six killed in Valley

Baramula, October 10
Six militants, four belonging to pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed, while four others surrendered in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

The security forces also arrested a militant and recovered RDX and other arms and ammunitions in the valley overnight, an official spokesman said.

Sources said a group of three Hizbul Mujahideen militants entered the vacant house of Congress leader Muzaffar Parray at Hygam in the district today after they were challenged by the security forces.

When asked to surrender, the militants opened fire on the security forces, who immediately cordoned off the house. All three militants were killed in the retaliatory fire.

The sources said the house of the Congress leader, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from the Rafiabad constituency, was damaged in the encounter.

The security forces killed another Hizbul Mujahideen militant at Lolab in North Kashmir today. Some arms and ammunitions were recovered from the slain militant.

The spokesman said the security forces gunned down two militants of the Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Mohammad Jameel and Jehangir Ahamd Malik, in an encounter at Behak Kulgam in south Kashmir last night.

One AK rifle, 29 rounds and four grenades were recovered from the slain militants.

Meanwhile, people at Pattan in Baramula district took to streets in protest against the killing of a Class X student, Reyaz Ahamd Dar, allegedly by the security forces.

The demonstrators blocked the Srinagar-Uri national highway for more than 10 hours.

Traffic was restored after senior civil and police officials assured the demonstrators that a thorough probe would be conducted in the incident. However, the spokesman said Dar was killed in an encounter between militants and the security forces.

He said four militants surrendered along with their arms and ammunitions in Kupwara, Baramula and Poonch districts overnight.

In another incident, the security forces arrested a militant at Pulwama last evening and seized 50 kg of RDX, one AK rifle, three magazines and 43 rounds. — UNI

JKLF leader taken into preventive custody

Srinagar, October 10
Senior Vice-Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Mr Javid Ahmad Mir, was taken into preventive custody along with six party activists for staging a demonstration here today, official sources said.

Raising pro-”freedom” slogans, the JKLF activists, led by Mr Javid Mir, appeared at Partap Park in the heart of the city and staged a demonstration protesting against the killing of two boys allegedly by the security forces in separate incidents of firing in Baramula and Pulwama districts, the sources said.

The protestors were demanding an end to human rights violations and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state, they said. — PTI

FIR motivated, says ex-minister
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 10
Senior National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Minister, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah has termed the coalition government’s action to lodge a vigilance case against him as a “political vendetta, witch hunting and politically motivated”. He said this was an attempt to demoralise the National Conference, and dared the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to come forward and prove that he was not corrupt.

This follows the lodging of an FIR by the Vigilance Organisation of the state two days ago against former Housing and Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Mohiudding Shah for causing loss to the state exchequer by using his official position as a minister. The former minister addressing a press conference here today lashed out at the coalition government and blamed it for failing to deliver despite its tall promises made prior to the formation of the government.

Mr Shah regretted that a case under Section 120-B of the RPC had been registered which he had faced for alleged conspiracy about five decades ago. He held that he had done nothing against rules and regulations as a minister by allotting a piece of land in favour of one M.L. Koul in Jammu.

Referring to the aspects of the decision taken by him as the then Chairman of the Jammu Development Authority, Mr Shah said for a long time legislators and general allottees were demanding the laying of a viable policy for the allotment of land to people to avoid confusion on this account.

Probe into custodial death

Jammu, October 10
The district authorities today ordered a magisterial probe into the custodial death of a civilian in the Latti area of Udhampur district, official sources said here today.

An officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner has been deputed to carry out the investigation into the death of Omkar Singh in the Latti police station, the sources said.

The probe officer would submit his report to the District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Mr Atul Duloo, within two weeks.

Omkar Singh died in the lockup on Tuesday. There was a clash between local residents and the police yesterday. — PTI

Two booked for misappropriating GPF payment

Jammu, October 10
The crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police today registered a case against an Assistant Director and a Cashier of the Handloom Department for the misappropriation of Rs 70,000 from the government provident fund (GPF) of an employee of the department, who had retired.

After receiving a complaint, the crime branch and the railway police conducted a preliminary inquiry and found that Assistant Director Mohan Singh and Cashier Kathua had misappropriated the retired employee’s funds. — PTI