Republic day celebrated amid tight security
SRINAGAR, Jan 26 — The Republic Day was celebrated throughout the Kashmir valley today amid unprecedented security arrangements, even though life was affected following complete hartal on a ''black day'' call given by All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference.


Militants gun down village head
SRINAGAR, Jan 26 — Militants gunned down a village numberdar while security forces arrested three militants and recovered a huge quantity of explosives and foiled militants' plans to set off blasts on Republic Day in Kashmir today.

Republic day celebrated amid tight security

SRINAGAR, Jan 26 (UNI) — The Republic Day was celebrated throughout the Kashmir valley today amid unprecedented security arrangements, even though life was affected following complete hartal on a ''black day'' call given by All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference (APKHC).

The main function was held at the heavily-guarded Bakshi Stadium here where Minister for Irrigation and Food Control Ali Mohammad Sagar unfurled the national Tricolour.

An official spokesman said the functions at all district and tehsil headquarters in the Kashmir valley and Ladakh region passed off peacefully.

Nearly 400 persons, mostly released militants, were taken into preventive custody during the past few days across the valley.

Shops and business establishments in Srinagar and all other major towns of the valley remained closed due to the APKHC strike call.

Meanwhile, a report from Jammu said that state Governor G.C.Saxena, said: "We have witnessed a form of proxy war, unleashed from across the border, which has caused much hardship and suffering to the peace- loving people of the state. Normal life and economic activity was disrupted. Many precious human lives were lost. Considerable public and private property including bridges, school buildings, government buildings and residential houses were destroyed or damaged. A significant part of the population in the Kashmir valley had to leave their hearths and homes for the fear of their lives and honour at the hands of militants."

Chief minister Farooq Abdullah called for a bold initiative to meet the challenges confronting the people and solving their problems and said the state was set to usher the new millennium with more confidence and vigour.

Dr Abdullah today said the overall situation in the state had considerably improved which was evident from the fact that the republic day functions had gone off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.

At a reception hosted by the Governor at Raj Bhavan here this evening he said he had no reports of firing from across the border anywhere in the state.

When his attention was drawn to a report appearing in a local English daily today on centre's concern on Jammu and Kashmir situation, the CM denied it saying that the situation in the state has neither deteriorated nor the prime minister had summoned him for any discussions in this regard.He described the report as concocted.

Bandh hits life in valley

SRINAGAR, Jan 26 (PTI) — Normal life was crippled in Srinagar and other major towns of the Kashmir valley today following a strike call given by secessionist Hurriyat conference and Dukhtaran-e-Milat, a banned women's organisation.

The streets of Srinagar were deserted as shops and business establishments closed and all modes of transport went off the roads in the valley. Auto-rickshaws, which usually ply during strikes, also remained off the roads today, official sources said.

J and K Minister for Public Health Engineering A.M. Sagar said the people were prevented from attending the republic day function at "gun-point."

Bandh was also observed in Leh town of frontier region of Ladakh on the call of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) to protest the government refusal to allow Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to hoist the national Tricolour on Republic Day.

Shops remained closed and vehicular traffic went off the road, besides people stayed away en masse from the state function organised to celebrate the republic day at the polo ground, a statement received through fax from LBA president Tsering Samphel said.

Militants gun down village head

SRINAGAR, Jan 26 (PTI) — Militants gunned down a village numberdar while security forces arrested three militants and recovered a huge quantity of explosives and foiled militants' plans to set off blasts on Republic Day in Kashmir today.

Two militants of banned Hizbul Mujahideen surrendered before the Army at Chatergul in the Shangus area of Anantnag district in Kashmir last night, an official spokesman said here today.

He said unidentified militants killed a village numberdar at Sangaldhan in the Gool area of the Udhampur district on Sunday.

The security forces also apprehended a self-styled divisional commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen from a hideout in Srinagar yesterday.

A pistol, one magazine and three rounds were recovered from him. Further interrogation of the militant led to the recovery of a huge consignment of incriminating material which included 1, 200 books of provocative lectures authored by Saifullah of Pakistan, he said.

This subversive material was printed and published at Devbandh in Uttar Pradesh and channelised into the valley through a well- reputed transport agency, he said.