5 militants among 8 killed in J&K
SRINAGAR, Jan 16 — An Army jawan and five militants, three of them foreign mercenaries, were among the eight persons killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Minority status likely for Kashmiri Pandits
JAMMU, Jan 16 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government proposes to grant minority status to Kashmiri Pandits a majority of whom have left the militancy-hit state.

Infiltration contained, says Army
JAMMU, Jan 16 — It was not possible to cover all gaps through which infiltrators cross into the Jammu region along the Indo-Pakistan border because of the difficult terrain.

5 militants among 8 killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, Jan 16 (PTI) — An Army jawan and five militants, three of them foreign mercenaries, were among the eight persons killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Militants attacked police patrols at two places even as two members of the outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen surrendered in the state during the period, an official spokesman said here today.

He said an Army jawan and two militants were killed in a fierce encounter at Matrigam-Dharhama near Bandipora in Baramula district of North Kashmir last night.

The militants were identified as Mohammad Usman (Pakistani resident) and Hassan, a native of Malangam-Bandipora, belonging to the Harkatul Jehad-e-Islami, the spokesman said, adding that two AK rifles, a radio set and a large quantity of ammunition were seized from the slain militants.

He said two more militants, possibly foreigners, were killed in another encounter with security forces in the Kudar jungle area in the border district of Rajouri in the Jammu region last night. Two AK rifles, their nine magazines, six grenades, 24 pencil cells and two compasses were seized from the slain militants.

Another militant, yet to be identified, was killed in a gunbattle with security forces at Hakimgund-Ganderbal on the outskirts of Srinagar yesterday, the spokesman said adding that a rocket launcher with a rocket were seized from his possession.

The police picked up the body of an unidentified person from Poonch district of the Jammu region last night.

A report from Jammu said an unidentified body bearing bullet injuries was recovered from Rajouri district yesterday.

A dreaded militant code-named ‘Aurangzeb’ surrendered before security forces along with arms and some ammunition in the Darhal area of Rajouri district, reports said.

A militant owing allegiance to the banned Hizbul Mujahideen laid down arms before the J and K police at Panzla in Baramula district yesterday, the spokesman said adding that he handed over two grenades and some rounds of ammunition to the police at the time of surrender.

The spokesman said militants, equipped with sophisticated weapons, attacked a police patrol at Shangra in Anantnag district last night. The fire was returned by policemen.

He said militants also hurled a grenade towards a police patrol near Jamia Masjid at Banihal, 125 km from here, in Doda district of Jammu late in the evening. However, no loss of life was reported.

The spokesman said security forces and police raided four militant hideouts, three in Baramulla and another in Kupwara, and recovered one AK rifle, 31 grenades, seven rockets, 13 detonators, one bayonet, a wireless set and assorted ammunition few hundred rounds.

Hangul makes a comeback
India Abroad News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 16 — Even wildlife is beginning to respond to the return of relatively peaceful times to the Kashmir Valley.

The ‘hangul’, a rare Kashmiri deer, has been sighted in larger than their usual numbers this year bringing cheer to an otherwise freezing winter.

The Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Department has recorded sighting of 380 hanguls this season. These deer are counted in winters when they come down to Dachigam wildlife sanctuary in north Kashmir, about 20 km from Srinagar, the state’s summer capital.

Wildlife officials have been keeping a record on ‘hanguls’ on a year to year basis. Their number was close to 800 in 1989 before terrorism shook Kashmir. Thereafter, their number started decreasing year on year falling to a low of 90 in 1992.

"This was an alarming decline," said the state’s Forest Minister Mohammad Ramzan. "The decline was the result of the unchecked poaching in early nineties, when there existed no authority and whatever existed was defied by those wielding guns," Mr Ramzan told India Abroad News Service.

Mr Ramzan said that the state government took extraordinary steps to protect the ‘hanguls’. "We hope it would increase further as poaching has been brought to a complete halt," Mr Ramzan added.

Minority status likely for Kashmiri Pandits

JAMMU (IPA), Jan 16 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government proposes to grant minority status to Kashmiri Pandits a majority of whom have left the militancy-hit state.

The proposed 'minority status' for Kashmiri Pandits, according to official sources, will not only take care of their urge to preserve themselves as a religious-ethnic minority but also help them gain relief and concessions as a religious minority.

The sources said consultations on the grant of minority status to Kashmiri Pandits had already been held with experts of the Union Home Ministry who have approved the proposal.

As violence broke out in the wake of militancy, an estimated 3 lakh Kashmiri Pandits abandoned their homes and overnight became 'migrants' in their own country.

Most of them temporarily settled in make-shift camps, mainly in Jammu and Delhi, and other cities of the country. They have been receiving a monthly dole from the state government, which has yet to formulate plans to settle them permanently or make it safe for them to return to the valley. Uncertain about their future, Kashmiri Pandits have been clamouring for a decent life as befits the citizens of India and an end to their miserable camp life.

Over 400 of them have been targeted by the militants, the last carnage being at Wandhama village, near Srinagar, where 21 Kashmiri Pandits were massacred by the militants during a night swoop on the village. The victims had dared stay back through the peak of militancy even as a majority of their community members had fled to the safety of Jammu.

Pledging to ensure 'safe return' of Kashmiri Pandit migrants to the valley, Dr Farooq Abdullah-led Government passed an enactment to protect properties and lands abandoned by migrant Kashmiri Pandits and initiated plans to return them to the valley. But Kashmiri Pandits, divided into various groups, failed to take advantage of the enactment even as the government took hesitant steps to implement it

Infiltration contained, says Army
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 16 — It was not possible to cover all gaps through which infiltrators cross into the Jammu region along the Indo-Pakistan border because of the difficult terrain.

This was stated by the Corps Commander, Lt. Gen. D.S. Chauhan, during an interaction with newsmen at corps headquarter at Nagrota today. Gen Chauhan said that despite these inherent difficulties troops, guarding the border in the Jammu sector had killed 90 intruders during the past 13 months as compared to 40 in 1997. Not more than 60 insurgents had sneaked into the sector during the past two months.

He admitted that the rate of casualties among security personnel had increased during the past one year. He explained that militants attacked security patrol parties in inhabited areas where troops preferred to hold their fire rather than risk civilian casualties. He said after setbacks in Kashmir valley the militants shifted operations to the Jammu sector. As a result 160 civilians were killed in massacres in 1998.