BJP workers stage demonstration
UDHAMPUR, Nov 17 — BJP leaders and workers of the district and its adjoining areas today staged a demonstration at the district headquarter to protest against the failure of the Farooq government in providing electricity and drinking water.

Cheating case registered
UDHAMPUR, Nov 17 — Khakru (85), wife of late Ram Singh of Hartyan, had been fighting her pension case for the past 55 years. It was finally settled on November 11,1999, and an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh was sanctioned by Allahabad CDA.

4 securitymen among 6 killed

SRINAGAR, Nov 17 (UNI) — At least two Jammu and Kashmir police special operation group (SOG) personnel were killed and a civilian injured in a fierce clash at Galwanpora, on the outskirts of the city this afternoon while elsewhere in the valley two securitymen and a militant were among four persons killed during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said on a tip-off SOG personnel cordoned off Galwanpora Hyderpora, on the city outskirts this afternoon to nab militants.

However, when the SOG personnel were about to storm the house of Abdul Azia Rather militants hiding inside fired upon them with automatic weapons, resulting in injuries to Head Constable Prem Singh and Constable Mumtaz Ahmad. Both the police personnel later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

An official spokesman when contacted confirmed the death of two police personnel and said the operation was still in progress.

He said reinforcements were rushed from a nearby camp and the entire area has been sealed.

He said three to four militants inside the house were still firing on the security forces when last reports came in.

He said a special police officer (SPO) was killed and two other jawans were injured in an encounter with militants at Throo while the forces gunned down a militant at Dhaki-Kote last night.

He said one security jawan lost his life when militants detonated a landmine at Nowshera last evening while one body was recovered from Baramula today.

The Jammu and Kashmir police and forces captured two militants and seized some arms and ammunition, including four AK rifles, one disposable rocket launcher, eight rockets, seven remote control devices, one grenade thrower with eight grenades in Pulwama and Kupwara since last evening.

915 militants shot in J&K since Jan

NEW DELHI, Nov 17 (UNI) — A record 437 militants, including foreign mercenaries, were killed by the Army in Kashmir during the past three months while the Pakistani Army has stepped up “offensive operational activity” along the Line of Control, a defence spokesman said here today.

Pakistan had inducted additional state-of-art weaponry and augmented the strength of foreign mercenaries in Kashmir valley as a result of which the kill ratio had declined from the past year’s one soldier killed for every six to seven militants to one soldier killed for every five militants.

The spokesman said this year alone so far, the Army had lost 197 all ranks but had gunned down 915 militants which far exceeds the maximum kills during the past four years.

Since 1990, the Army killed 8699 militants and recovered 23,986 weapons. This is in addition to the militants killed and arms and ammunition recovered by other security agencies including the BSF, the CRPF, and the J and K police.

Describing the recent conference of the militant outfit Lashkar-i-Tayyaba at Muridke near Lahore as a “step to pep up the sagging morale of militant cadres in the valley”, the spokesman said an upsurge in militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir was expected.

BJP workers stage demonstration
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Nov 17 — BJP leaders and workers of the district and its adjoining areas today staged a demonstration at the district headquarter to protest against the failure of the Farooq government in providing electricity and drinking water.

The procession, led by the leader of the BJP legislature party, Mr Shiv Charan Gupta, was shouting slogans against the Government of the National Conference (NC). On reaching the DC's office the processionists sat on a dharna.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Shiv Charan Gupta, alleged that the government had failed to contain militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. On contrary the pace of development has slackened due to militancy, lack of drinking water and 10 to 12 hours of power cut had made the life of the people miserable.

Unemployment has grown immensely and educated unemployed youth particularly of Jammu region are discriminated against during recruitment. Strongly assailing the government's negative performance in day today affairs, Mr Gupta alleged that such a government had no right to stay in power.

Cheating case registered
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Nov 17 — Khakru (85), wife of late Ram Singh of Hartyan, had been fighting her pension case for the past 55 years. It was finally settled on November 11,1999, and an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh was sanctioned by Allahabad CDA.

When she went to withdraw the amount, along with her son Wakil Singh, she was given only two months' pension amounting to Rs 3,622. When her son enquired about the remaining amount, they were told that it had already been withdrawn by a certain Makhnu.

A deputation of people met the SP of Udhampur and a case of cheating was registered on his direction. Further investigation is in progress.