12 militants among 20 killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, Aug 3 (PTI) — Security forces foiled an attempt by Pakistan to infiltrate heavily armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir, where 20 persons, including 12 militants and three soldiers, were killed since last evening.

Security forces in Poonch sector of the Jammu region noticed movement of a group of heavily armed militants, who were trying to sneak into the state via Rani post last night, an official spokesman said here today.

When the militants were challenged by the troops, they fled back leaving behind an AK assault rifle, a pistol, an improvised explosive device and some ammunition, he said.

He said four militants, including two foreign mercenaries associated with the Lashker-e-Toiba outfit, were killed in an encounter with the Army in Mandi area of Poonch last night.

Two Armymen also lost their lives in the encounter which yielded them three AK assault rifles, a pistol and some ammunition, official reports reaching here said.

The spokesman said four more militants identified as foreigners were killed in two separate gun-battles with the Army at Farashi forest and Bodnambal forest in Kupwara. An Army jawan was also killed in the encounter at Farashi forest.

The spokesman said two militants were killed when they attacked security search parties at Tatani-Sord village of Thathri in Doda district last night. Two AK assault rifles and two hand grenades were recovered from the encounter scene.

Two militants fell to the bullets of the security forces in the Naushehra sector of Jammu last night, the police said.

Militants gunned down three persons in their villages in Anantnag, Kupwara and Baramulla districts yesterday, he said.

The body of an unidentified person was found in Tujnar in Kupwara district today, the police said.

One person was shot dead by militants inside his house at Kalai in the Jammu region last night, he said.

Security forces apprehended three militants during search operations at Umerhare and Parimpora-Qamerwari areas of Srinagar last night. An AK assault rifle, five kg of explosives, 14 hand grenades and a wireless set were recovered from them.

A Defence Ministry spokesman also denied a report from Islamabad quoting official sources claiming the Pakistan Army had blown up a brigade headquarters in Kargil.

"The report is totally baseless. No brigade headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by Pakistani shelling," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for Home Mushtaq Ahmed Lone visited Karnah and Machil border areas of Kupwara district to take stock of the security situation and assess the damage caused by unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers across the border.

He was told that the unprovoked shelling by Pakistani forces had created panic in villages in the border areas, an official press release said.

Expressing grief over the killing of innocent persons and damage to their houses, the minister assured them all possible help from the government.

The minister said all possible precautionary measures would be taken for the security of the people living in the affected areas.

Air chief terms Pak allegations as false

SRINAGAR, Aug 3 (PTI) — Air chief S.K. Sareen today termed as "false" Pakistani allegations that the Indian Air Force had violated Pakistan's airspace recently.

"This is nothing but a false propaganda," the air chief who is on a three-day visit to the Kashmir valley, told reporters here.

Referring to the ongoing skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops along the northern border, he said: "this is a seasonal feature and there is nothing to be alarmed about."

He said Pakistani troops usually resorted to this pattern of firing during summer as "once the snow melts there is an attempt by adversaries to send in more ultras."

He said there was "no war-like situation along the border. On the contrary the situation is normal."

Panthers Party for all-party govt
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 3 — The Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party has urged the Centre to constitute an all-party government in the troubled northern state following the failure of the National Conference Government to contain militancy. It referred to a series of massacres in different parts of the valley and the Jammu region in the past two years and said ever since the National Conference assumed power the law and order situation had "worsened."

A senior Panthers Party leader, Mr Harsh Dev Singh, MLA, told newsmen here today said that in nine incidents of killing of civilians more than 125 persons had been killed. Expressing concern over the alarming situation in the state, Mr Singh called for intervention by the Centre by way of installing an all party government so that effective measures could be taken to save the situation.

Mr Singh disputed the claim of the state government that it had contained militancy and tackled several other economic problems. He blamed the state administration for having failed to carry out development works and it was shocking that 80 per cent allocations for development work were made in the urban sector and the rural areas were left high and dry. He said the high rate of corruption had further retarded growth in the state. He flayed the functioning of the Rural Development Department alleging that work was being shown to have been completed only on paper.