Blast averted in Srinagar
SRINAGAR, Nov 24 — Five militants and a police officer were among seven persons killed and five injured in militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, while security forces averted a tragedy by detecting a powerful crude bomb at a city centre today, an official spokesman said here.

Mufti to launch movement
SRINAGAR, Nov 24 — Former Union Home Minister and President of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said his party would launch a "movement" aimed at protecting the basic rights of the people of state.

Blast averted in Srinagar

SRINAGAR, Nov 24 (PTI) — Five militants and a police officer were among seven persons killed and five injured in militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, while security forces averted a tragedy by detecting a powerful crude bomb at a city centre today, an official spokesman said here.

Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants — Assadullah Bhat, alias Asgar code Ismail and his Pakistani bodyguard Musaid bin Umar — were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces at Faqir Mohalla in the Tral area of Pulwama district today, he said.

The encounter took place when security forces laid an ambush in the village to flush out militants, he said, adding that a BSF jawan, Ranjit Singh, was wounded in the crossfire.

A powerful explosive device planted by militants was detected and immediately defused at Ghanta Ghar in the Lal Chowk city centre here, he said.

Special Police Officer Ghulam Mohiuddin Khan died when Hizbul Mujahideen ultras ambushed a group of counter insurgents at Watrigam in Anantnag last night, he said.

In another operation, security forces shot dead a foreign mercenary, Abu Huraira at Sheshan in the Achabal area of Anantnag last night.

Two more foreign mercenaries were killed in a clash at Hari Budha in the Mandi area of Poonch district in Jammu today, the spokesman said, adding that two policemen received injuries.

Syed Arshad Hussain, a shopkeeper who was shot at by militants at Nabdipora-Hawal here recently succumbed to his injuries today, he said.

Mufti to launch movement

SRINAGAR, Nov 24 (PTI) — Former Union Home Minister and President of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said his party would launch a "movement" aimed at protecting the basic rights of the people of state.

Without announcing the date for the launch of the proposed movement, he asked party workers to be ready for peaceful demonstrations against violation of human rights and "unabated bloodshed" in the state.

The party would decide the time and the venue for the proposed movement soon, the Mufti said addressing a day-long provincial convention of the party here.

He urged the Centre and state government to take concrete steps to end the miseries of the people and ensure their safety and security.

Political uncertainty had gripped the state for the last 50 years and to end this it had become necessary to invite people of all shades of opinion to find a solution to the problem, he said.