200 kg explosives seized, couple among 8 killed
SRINAGAR, Aug 22 — Six persons , including a couple, were killed by militants, while, security forces and police arrested four militants and recovered 200 kg of explosive material in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

Pandits seek setting up of commission
JAMMU, Aug 22 — The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference while expressing concern over the miserable plight of displaced Hindu families from the valley has demanded setting up of a commission headed by a Supreme Court Judge to inquire into the reasons that led to the exodus of Pandits from Kashmir and the recent migration of Hindu families from Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch.

200 kg explosives seized,
couple among 8 killed

SRINAGAR, Aug 22 (UNI) — Six persons , including a couple, were killed by militants, while, security forces and police arrested four militants and recovered 200 kg of explosive material in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said police seized the explosives near general bus stand at Anantnag last evening.

He said one person arrested in this connection confessed during interrogation that he got the explosives from Amritsar for causing blasts in the valley.

He said the material was sufficient to make more than 20 powerful explosive devices.

He said unidentified militants entered the house of Abdul Aziz Bhat at Baderkul in the frontier district of Kupwara and killed him, his wife Khatji and Noor-ud-Din Gujri late last night.

He said militants also shot dead one Fayaz Ahmad Shah at Khanpora while Nazir Ahmad and Alam-ud-Din were killed at Pampore and Champal respectively last evening. Militants shot at and wounded Mohammad Ramzan Dar at Sopore last evening, he added.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said troops killed one militant each at Hafradah forest and Dumari Anar in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening during search operations.

He said troops seized 25 kg of explosives, 28 grenades, 10 kg of RDX, one AK-56 rifle, one wireless set and more than 1200 rounds during overnight operations across the valley.

PTI: Army shot dead two militants and seized some arms and ammunition after smashing two militant hideouts in Kupwara since last evening, a Defence Ministry spokesman said today.

The militants were killed in separate encounters at Hangnikot and Domrinar, the spokesman said.

Troops seized one ak assault rifle, six magazines, 889 rounds of ammunition, a radio set, two hand-grenades and 25 kg of explosives from militant hideouts at Dardpora and Eagle base in the same district last night.

JAMMU: Pakistani Rangers continued their firing on Indian positions and civilian areas in RS Pura and Samba sub-sectors of Jammu region for the second day today, Border Security Force (BSF) sources said here.

As a clear violation of "recent ceasefire agreement" on civilian and defence positions between the Pakistani Rangers and the BSF troops, the Pakistani troops have resorted to firing on five border out posts (bop) and civilian areas of Londi, Karol, Krishna, Sangral and Kagral of RS Pura and Samba sub-sectors of Jammu frontier till this afternoon, the sources said.

There was no loss of life or damage to the property on the Indian side, the sources said, adding the Pakistani Rangers, who initiated meeting with BSF authorities in Octeri Bop on Tuesday last, broke the ceasefire agreement by firing on Indian defence and civilian positions.

The Pakistan troops started fresh firing after the ceasefire agreement on Thursday night on Indian side, while the BSF troops observed calm despite the provocation for first day, the sources added.

However, BSF troops guarding the international border in Samba and RS Pura sub-sectors retaliated and returned the fire this morning. The exchange of fire between the BSF troops and the Pakistani troops continued for some time, the source said.

Nine nationals of Bangladesh were captured while trying to infiltrate into India from a border out post (bop) in RS Pura of Jammu region today, the BSF said here.

Of the arrested Bangladeshi nationals, two were women, the BSF said.

The police said they recovered three kg of RDX and some other arms and ammunition from Kalai top area of Poonch district yesterday.

Pandits seek setting up of commission
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 22 — The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference (AKPSC) while expressing concern over the miserable plight of displaced Hindu families from the valley has demanded setting up of a commission headed by a Supreme Court Judge to inquire into the reasons that led to the exodus of Pandits from Kashmir and the recent migration of Hindu families from Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch.

At a meeting here today under the chairmanship of Mr O.N. Trisal, the AKPSC has said that it was surprising that the state government instituted a probe into the killing of 19 persons near Surankot in Poonch district but never bothered to hold similar probe into the massacres at Wandhama and Sangrampora in Kashmir and Chapnari, Gool, Prankot and Dhakikot in the Jammu region.

The AKPSC expressed deep concern over the rise of Islamic fundamentalism which had started engineering demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir by forcing members of the minority community to flee to other areas.

It accused the BJP-led government of inaction in meeting the fresh challenges posed by Pak-trained militants in Jammu and Kashmir. It said that the BJP government at the Centre had taken no step to better the lot of the Kashmiri migrants who continued to be deprived of the basic facilities in and outside the camps.

It said that restoration of normalcy to Kashmir was essential for encouraging migrants to return to their villages.