Srinagar, September 29
At least four persons, including a Congress leader, have been killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.
The police here said Mohammad Yusuf Bhat, block secretary of the Congress, and his personal security officer (PSO), Mohammad Ashraf were shot dead by militants at Chini Chowk in Anantnag this morning. The incident took place at about 9 am near the shrine of Reshi Mohalla in the town. Another civilian, Haji Abdul Aziz died due to cardiac arrest at the site of the incident, the police said.
A 16-year-old boy, Amraz Khan, was killed in an explosion at Kudara, Bandipore, in Baramulla district yesterday. Residents alleged that the youth was killed as a result of indiscriminate shelling by security forces in jungles.
Protest demonstrations were held in the area against the killing of the youth. The police said it had started investigations into the incident.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Rural Development and J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, in a condolence message expressed shock and grief over the brutal killing of Mohammad Yousuf Bhat today.
Bhat was a social worker and he had contested Assembly elections in 2002 as Congress candidate from the Pahalgam constituency. The minister conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family.
Jammu: Four militants were killed and two security personnel injured in separate incidents in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here today.
Security forces had busted two militant hideouts while a Harkat-ul-Ansar ultra surrendered before the authorities in the district since yesterday, it said.
Security forces launched an operation in the Malan area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch last evening. After spoting the militants the securitymen opened fire and killed two militants, the sources said.
In the cross fire two PSOs of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Mohammad Azam and Amrik Singh, suffered injuries.
In the encounter, that continued till late evening, the house where the ultras had taken shelter also got fire.
The burnt body of another militant was also recovered by the police today. The slain ultra has been identified as Abu Kasha of the Hizbul-Mujahideen outfit.
The recoveries from the site of encounter included two AK-56 rifles, one AK-47 rifle and seven magazines, the sources said.
