17 ultras killed in J&K
SRINAGAR, April 23 — Twenty-eight persons, including 17 militants, four counter-insurgents and a security jawan, were killed as security forces destroyed a number of hideouts of ultras and foiled Pakistani attempt to push armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

17 ultras killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, April 23 (PTI) — Twenty-eight persons, including 17 militants, four counter-insurgents and a security jawan, were killed as security forces destroyed a number of hideouts of ultras and foiled Pakistani attempt to push armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

An official spokesman said today that militants made an abortive attempt to blow up a police station here when they lobbed a powerful grenade towards the building around 6.30 a.m. today, adding that the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road without causing any harm.

Ultras gunned down five persons in two separate attacks at Watlar on the outskirts of Srinagar since yesterday.

Unidentified militants forced their entry into the house of Mohammad Latief Khan at Pakhtoon Mohalla in Watlar today and fired indiscriminately at the inmates, killing the house owner and two others on the spot.

Two persons, Ishfaq Mugal and Manzoor Awan, received gunshot injuries and were rushed to a hospital where the latter succumbed to his injuries, the spokesman said. The other two deceased have been identified as Ghulam Nabi Shah and Qasim Khan (released militant).

Earlier, militants struck the village and barged into the house of Mohammad Amin Khan and shot him.

Ultras also shot at and injured Sabir Khan, before escaping, the spokesman said.

Eight militants were shot dead by security forces in two separate encounters at the Kathoori-Kalaban area of Udhampur district and Bunkote-Chapnari in the Banihal area of Doda district.

Reports reaching here said four of the militants were counter-insurgents associated with the Ikhwan outfit. The fifth, Mohammad Latief Khan, was also a supporter of the same group.

The spokesman said security forces shot dead an unidentified militant in an encounter at Pazalpora in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district.

Security forces also foiled a Pakistani attempt to push armed militants into Jammu and Kashmir when they gunned down two Pakistani intruders at Nanga sector of Samba in Jammu yesterday, the spokesman added.

The bullet-riddled body of a local resident, Matta, was recovered from Sekdoub forest in Baramulla district. The victim had been missing since March 10.

Five militants of Al-Badr group were killed yesterday after the Army assisted by the CRPF, carried out a two-day-long operations in North Kashmir.

Acting on a tip-off, troops laid a cordon around the forest and started a massive search for militants in the jungles. Finding themselves trapped, militants opened fire at the approaching troops, and in the ensuing encounter five foreign mercenaries were killed, he said, adding that an Army jawan was killed and another injured in the operation.

Three released militants shot
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, April 23 — Nine persons, including three released militants, had been killed, while the security forces recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition during search operations across the valley since yesterday.

Five persons, three of them released militants, were killed when suspected militants intruded into three houses in the Watlar area of Ganderbal, 25 km from here, last night. Two others were injured in the shootout, the police here today said.

Giving details of the incidents, the police said suspected militants intruded into the house of Mohammad Lateef Khan at Pakhtoon Mohalla, Watlar Ganderbal and fired indiscriminately on the inmates. Mohammad Lateef Khan, Qasim Khan and Ghulam Nabi Shah, all released militants were killed on the spot. Two others, Manzoor Awan and Ishfaq Mughal were also injured in the shootout. They were shifted to the hospital here, where Manzoor Awan succumbed to his injuries. The condition of Ishfaq is stated to be out of danger and is undergoing treatment.

Suspected militants shot dead Mohammad Amin Khan at Pakhtoon Mohalla, Ganderbal last evening, after they intruded into his house. Later the militants also intruded the nearby house of Shabir Ahmad Khan and fired indiscriminately at him. He was injured in the incident and has been shifted to hospital here.

Fayaz Ahmad Rather, a militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Pazalpora, Bandipore in Baramula district today, the police said. The residents claimed that Fayaz Ahmad Rather was a civilian and not a militant, who had been killed in a firing incident during search operations. The searches were launched in the village last evening and continued on Friday noon.

The police has recovered the dead bodies of two persons from Baramulla and one person from Kupwara district today. A bullet-ridded body of Matta of Turkapora, Bandipore was recovered from Sekidob in Baramula district. The body of Maqbool Dar of Bhagwanpora, Safapore was found in the Manasbal area in Baramula district today. He had been missing since March.

The body of a Pak-trained militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Wali Mohammad Lone was found in Madmadau village of Kupwara district.

The security forces apprehended a militant of Al-Jehad outfit from the Rajbagh area here yesterday. He was identified as Farooq Ahmad Wani, alias Adil, and was being questioned, police said.

Militants hurled a grenade at a picket of the security forces at Sekidafar, Safakadal here early today. The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road. No damage was caused due to the explosion.

The security forces recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in search operations in the Rangat Gali forests and Lashdat Kanibagh forests in Kupwara district yesterday.

The ammunition recovered at the Rangat Gali forests included 3520 rounds of Pika ammunition, 3660 rounds of AK ammunition, 105 hand grenades, 35 rifle grenades, 12 rockets of RPG with boosters, 30 remote control devices, 2 kg of explosives, 20 gelatin sticks, four rockets, nine electric detonators, two AK magazines, two anti-tank mines and two anti-personnel mines.

In another search operation at the Lashdat forests the security forces recovered seven remote control devices, one telesite, four hand grenades, one anti-personnel mine, 17 rounds of ammunition and four jackets.

JAMMU: Two Pak intruders were killed and 11 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested by the BSF today.

According to official sources, BSF jawans spotted two intruders having sneaked into the Indian territory in the Samba sector. They were ordered then to halt but they started going back to Pak territory after opening fire on the BSF. The BSF retaliated killing the two. They were found to be ISI agents.