Eight Pak troops killed in Siachen

SRINAGAR, Oct 13 (UNI, PTI) — At least eight Pakistani soldiers were killed or wounded in retaliatory shelling by Indian troops in Siachen glacier last evening.

A Defence Ministry spokesman told UNI that Pakistani troops began unprovoked artillery and mortar shelling on Indian positions in the Siachen glacier, which was retaliated.

In the exchange of fire, which lasted several hours, about eight Pakistani soldiers were hit, he said.

He said some Pakistani bunkers were also directly hit by the shelling but the exact number of casualties across the border was not immediately known.

The exchange of artillery and mortar fire in Siachen has now become a routine affair occurring almost daily. Indian troops only fire in retaliation, the spokesman added.

An Army captain was killed last week as a result of Pak-shelling in Siachen.
The situation in Kargil and other sectors along the border at present is peaceful with no report of any fresh firing by Pakistani troops, he said.

Panic gripped the city today following an anonymous call that a powerful bomb had been planted inside a building at Red Cross road housing the office of the Awami National Conference led by former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah.

Police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the building soon after an anonymous telephone caller informed a shopkeeper of a bomb inside the party office, official sources said.

However, a thorough search of the building by a bomb disposal squad proved the call to be a "hoax’’, the sources said.

Two mercenaries, Pak intruder killed

SRINAGAR, Oct 13 (PTI) — Four persons, including two foreign mercenaries and a Pakistani intruder, were killed and two children wounded in separate militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Three powerful explosions believed to have been triggered by militants rocked the area near an Army hospital and Food and Supplies Depot at Kundian in Keran sector on Monday but caused no casualty or damage to property, an official spokesman said here today.

Four militants, including a self-styled section commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, were arrested and three arms dumps were unearthed by security forces, he said.

Two foreign mercenaries were killed in an encounter with security forces at Hakapathari in Kupwara district of north Kashmir last evening.

A Pakistani intruder was shot dead at Dhob Doba Maharri in Poonch sector while the body of a civilian killed by militants, who had kidnapped him yesterday, was recovered at Kanwar-Handwara district in Baramulla district last night.

Two children suffered splinter injuries when militants threw a grenade into a house at Babhore in Doda district last night.

Governor visits towns in Doda
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 13 — Governor G.C. Sexena has called upon the security forces and the civil administration to initiate suitable measures for dealing effectively with Pakistan trained militants, especially foreign mercenaries who posed a fresh challenge to the state, particularly in Doda district.

The Governor visited Bhaderwah and Kishtwar towns in the troubled Doda district today to take stock of the security situation there.

Senior civil and police officers briefed the Governor regarding the latest situation. They informed the Governor that there was a need for deploying additional companies of the security forces for tackling the militants who had established hideouts in remote and inaccessible areas of the largest district in Jammu.

The Governor interacted with a large number of people and leaders of the National Conference, the BJP, the Congress, the Janata Dal, the BSP and the Panthers Party. These leaders informed the Governor about the difficulties people in the most backward district of Doda faced because of unemployment, poverty and foodgrain shortage.

Mr Saxena praised the people for maintaining peace and communal harmony. He urged them to cooperate with the district administration and the security forces to ensure normalcy.