Package for displaced pandits soon
JAMMU, Jan 9 — A final "rehabilitation package" for more than three lakh displaced Kashmiri Pandits residing in different parts of the country would soon be announced by the central government, official sources said here today.

• New Jammu-Srinagar highway on cards

Shiv Sena leader, 5 of family shot
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 9 — Militants shot dead five members of a family, including two women, in their house at Tangmarg last evening, while a Shiv Sena leader was shot dead along with his security guard near Sopore in Baramula district yesterday.

The police said here that militants shot dead Abdul Rashid Wani and his personal security officer (PSO) near Wadoora on the Sopore-Handwara road last afternoon. Wani had contested and lost the previous assembly elections held in 1996 in Baramula district. Reports said militants stopped the vehicle in which they were travelling from Sopore to Handwara and fired indiscriminately at them. Wani and his PSO died on the spot. Another person was injured in the shootout. A resident of Hothlangoo village, near Sopore had been a protected person and was provided with security by the state police.

In another incident, militants shot dead five members of a family at Sarai village near Tangmarg in Baramula district last evening. The militants intruded into the house of Abdul Ahad Sheikh and fired at the inmates indiscriminately. Sheikh died on the spot along with his wife, Mehmooda. His parents, Abdul Salam Sheikh and Mrs Bakhti were also shot dead by the militants. Abdul Ahad Sheikh's brother-in-law, Ali Mohammed War, who was also there, was also killed.

UNI adds: Five militants and an Army jawan were among nine persons killed in separate incidents in the Jammu region since Friday evening.

Official sources said here on Saturday that acting on a tip-off, the troops cordoned off Kelu village in the Mandi area of Poonch district and started searches.

However, the militants opened fire at the search party, which resulted in an encounter that lasted for several hours.

While two foreign militants were killed, others escaped.

Two AK-56 rifles, two magazines and 40 rounds and five hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site.

In another encounter troops killed two more foreign militants at Budhal village in Rajouri district.

At least one Army jawan was killed while another was wounded in an encounter at Joran village in Doda district.

Troops shot dead a militant at Kotpaul forests in yet another encounter in Doda district.

Package for displaced pandits soon

JAMMU, Jan 9 (PTI) — A final "rehabilitation package" for more than three lakh displaced Kashmiri Pandits residing in different parts of the country would soon be announced by the central government, official sources said here today.

A team of officials of the Home Ministry earlier this week visited different migrant camps located in Jammu and Udhampur districts of the region for an on-the-spot assessment of the present state of the displaced Kashmiri Hindus, sources said.

The team also had detailed discussions with some of the leaders of the displaced community in Jammu and Udhampur, besides state government officials on the rehabilitation package.

According to sources the team which included Additional Secretary, Home Ministry, Naveen Verma and Deputy Secretary, M. Bagchi, had prepared a detailed report on the condition prevailing in the migrants camp and the suggestions received for the rehabilitation package.

Before announcing the package central government would meet leaders of different organisations of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, sources said adding that the meeting, scheduled for the middle of February, would also be attended by officials of the state government.

New Jammu-Srinagar highway on cards

JAMMU, Jan 9 (ANI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government is planning to build a new expressway linking Jammu and Srinagar, state Minister Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah said.

The 210 km-long expressway to be completed in seven years would cost Rs 1.42 billion, the Minister added.

The national highway, which connects the two cities, is often closed because of snowfall and rains, making it necessary to have an alternate route. The Minister said a survey on a new Jammu-Srinagar route, which would cut the travel time by four hours, was complete.