3 of family among 8 killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, Feb 4 (PTI) — Eight persons — five militants and three members of a family — were killed and two hideouts of militants destroyed in Kashmir since last evening.

Armed with sophisticated weapons, militants barged into a house at Redwani-Ghat near Kulgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir last night and killed the owner and his two family members, an official spokesman said here today.

An infiltrator was shot dead by the security forces while he was trying to sneak into the Indian territory in the Samba sector of Jammu region last evening, he said.

Four militants, including two Pakistani nationals, were killed in a gunfight with security forces at Chewdara-Mirpora in Badgam district of central Kashmir yesterday, he said.

Four AK rifles, 12 magazines, 486 rounds of ammunition, a pistol with three magazines and 15 rounds, a wireless set, a grenade launcher attachment with six rifle grenades and five hand grenades were seized from the slain militants, he added.

Two hideouts of militants, one each in the border districts of Kupwara and Baramulla, were destroyed by the security forces during the period. Nine hand grenades, an IED and some rounds of ammunition were recovered from the hideouts, he said.

Protests held against killing of Principal

JAMMU, Feb 4 (PTI) — All educational institutions, including colleges and private schools, here observed a black day today and went on strike to protest the murder of a government school Principal yesterday.

The strike was marked by peaceful demonstrations and rallies organised by teachers and students. The students also blocked traffic at various roads.

Terming the response to the call to observe black day as "complete", spokesman of the School Teachers Association (STA) Sudesh Mahajan said the murder of an upright and dedicated Principal had left the teaching community with a feeling of insecurity.

He urged the state law and order authorities to deploy forces at schools to ensure security.

According to the police, Kuldeep Kumar Badyal, Principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Gandhinagar, was murdered in the school premises when he refused to admit a class XII student brought by a criminal as a private student.

The accused, Harjit Singh, was arrested, while trying to escape to Nepal, but the student is still missing, the police said.