M A I N   N E W S

Security forces rescue 12 hostages
Blow up house killing militants in Pulwama district
Tribune News Service and PTI

Srinagar, October 21
The 30-hour hostage drama ended today with security forces blowing up a house killing two holed-up Jaish-e-Mohammad militants after rescuing without any harm 12 civilians held captive by them in Pulwama district in a pre-dawn assault.

Bodies of both militants, identified as Abu Samak Haider, a resident of Pakistan, and his local associate Shakeel Ahmad Bhat of Dabpora-Shopian, were recovered from the debris of the house which was blasted by the troops this afternoon after securing the safe release of the hostages, official sources said.

Security forces fired mortars blowing up the house after militants rejected the offer of surrender and resorted to heavy firing on the joint troops of Rashtriya Rifles, police and CRPF from inside when they zeroed in on them, the sources said.

The troops, who had laid a tight cordon around the house since yesterday morning, fired mortars during the six-hour stand-off as a result of which the house collapsed killing both militants who were later identified as activists of JeM. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the debris.

Earlier, the security forces lobbed tear-gas shells into the house to facilitate the rescue of the hostages, including a local Muslim cleric.

A police spokesman put the number of hostages rescued by the troops at 12, including four members of the family residing in the house.

He said some respectable persons had volunteered into the house to persuade the militants to surrender yesterday but were taken hostage by the trapped militants.

Elsewhere, at least nine militants and a civilian were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday, while 14 pedestrians were injured in a grenade explosion at Kulgam town in Anantnag district today.

A police spokesman said here that 14 pedestrians were injured when militants hurled a grenade towards a police party at Kulgam bus stand in Anantnag district today. This is the third such incident in the valley since yesterday. At least 55 civilians injured in two grenade explosions in Srinagar and Anantnag towns yesterday. A civilian, Mohammad Khatana was killed in an incident of firing during cordon operation at Lehan Dajan village, near Pahalgam, in Anantnag district today, police here said.

Three unidentified were killed in an encounter with security forces at Farikian Top in Kupwara district today.

Two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, Zahoor Ahmad Dar and Irshad Ahmad Lone, were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Hamam Markote in Baramula district yesterday.

Two unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Mulkihama, Bandipore in Baramula district yesterday. Two security forces jawans were also injured in the incident, police here said.

Two militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces at Dandward, Kulgam in Anantnag district yesterday.