J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Four ultras, 2 jawans die in encounter
SRINAGAR, Jan 22 — At least seven persons, including four militants, two soldiers and a civilian were killed in a fierce encounter in Qazigund area of Anantnag district late last evening. Five residential houses were also gutted in the exchange of fire between militants and the Army which lasted six hours.

Army to man nakas in Jammu
JAMMU, Jan 22 — The police has sought Army assistance in keeping a watch on Fidayeen squads who are said to have sneaked into Jammu for kicking up subversive violence and for armed attacks on security camps and pickets.

Security further tightened
SRINAGAR, Jan 22 — Security arrangements around Bakshi Stadium, venue of the main Republic Day function here, have been further tightened to thwart designs of separatist militants.

Hurriyat to observe ‘black day’
SRINAGAR, Jan 22 — The chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Mr Shabir Ahmad Shah, and Hurriyat Conference in separate statements have called for observance of "black day" on January 26 in Kashmir.

Four ultras, 2 jawans die in encounter
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 22 — At least seven persons, including four militants, two soldiers and a civilian were killed in a fierce encounter in Qazigund area of Anantnag district late last evening. Five residential houses were also gutted in the exchange of fire between militants and the Army which lasted six hours.

All four militants killed in the encounter belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen. They have been identified as Farooq Ahmad Shah, Javed Ahmad Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad Bhat and Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai, the police here said. They were local youths. Three rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the site.

A civilian, identified as Mohammad Yunus Bhat, who was caught in the cross-fire died on the spot. Two jawans, identified as Parkash and Surajmal, were also killed. The encounter began when the militants hiding in the area fired on a search party last evening.

The police found the body of an unidentified person at Larno Kokernag in Anantnag district.

The SHO, Parimpora, here had a narrow escape when militants detonated a landmine near Tatto Ground here this afternoon. The vehicle in which the SHO was travelling crossed the mark seconds before the landmine exploded. No one was injured.

A building housing Government Middle School at Barsu, Pulwama, was gutted under mysterious circumstances. Investigations into the cause of the fire are on.

People at Shikargah Tral took to the streets, protesting against the death of a youth allegedly in Army custody. However, a spokesperson said the youth was a militant and was killed in an exchange of fire. A pistol and 20 kg of explosives had been recovered from him, he said.

Army to man nakas in Jammu
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 22 — The police has sought Army assistance in keeping a watch on Fidayeen squads who are said to have sneaked into Jammu for kicking up subversive violence and for armed attacks on security camps and pickets.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr R.V. Raju, and the DIG, Dr S.P. Vaid, told mediapersons here today that the Army would also man naka parties that have been set up to check the movement of militants, especially Fidayeen members.

Mr Raju said the decision was taken soon after arms and ammunication, including a granade launcher, 10 grenades and an assault rifle were recovered from an autorickshaw which had been booked by two Fidayeen members in the city today.

A major plan was foiled by three officials of the traffic police checking vehicles at Panama Chowk, a furlong from an Army Transit camp. As the policemen were examining papers, two Fidayee men aboard the vehicle fled. Since the traffic police had no weapons, they could do nothing except seizing the vehicle from which arms and ammunition were found.

The Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, immediately announced the promotion of Jarnail Singh, Mohan Chand and B.H. Khan who intercepted the vehicle. He said all traffic policemen manning sensitive road arteries would be equipped with weapons.

The police carried out search operations in a couple of localities, including the residential colony of the police where the two Fidayeen members were said to have escaped. These militants had booked the autorickshaw in the interior of the city. The driver was told to take them to the railway station.

However, before reaching the station the driver was asked to go to the university situated adjacent to the Army transit camp. It is believed their plan was to attack either the transit camp or the university.

Security further tightened
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 22 — Security arrangements around Bakshi Stadium, venue of the main Republic Day function here, have been further tightened to thwart designs of separatist militants.

The security forces claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough with the killing of Shakeel Bangroo, a top-ranking militant "deputed for arranging meeting of all militant outfits for creating disturbances on Republic Day".

Bangroo, according to a BSF spokesman, was killed here on Thursday evening, a day after his arrival in Srinagar from Pakistan via Saudi Arabia.

Various separatist organisations here have given a call to observe Republic Day as "black day" and asked the people to observe a general strike that day. Sources in the security and the police here claimed that people had been asked to hoist black flags on the occasion.

It was feared the militants may fire rockets as there would be no movement of people on that day. They could also resort to firing and explosion of IEDs in the area, a senior security official said.

A police officer claimed that "all possible precautions have been taken to ensure that no untoward incident takes place".

According to BSF sources, Bangroo, a self-styled battalion commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba, reached Srinagar on Wednesday by air from Delhi after leaving Palistan via Saudi Arabia. He was promoted to the rank of "Battalion Commander" in December, 1999, and "rushed to Srinagar for arranging meetings of all Tanzeems for creating disturbances on Republic Day".

He was killed in an encounter with BSF men at Tankipora here on Thursday.

Contrary to the cordon and house-to-house search operations with identification parade of male members during the early years of militancy on important occasions only specific operations are being conducted this year. Police and paramilitary troops are on alert in and around the stadium and adjoining localities.

Troops have been inspecting various localities like Jawahar Nagar, Raj Bagh, Aloochi Bagh, Gogji Bagh, Ram Bagh, Solina and Sarai Bala localities adjacent to the Bakshi Stadium over the past few weeks.

Hurriyat to observe ‘black day’

SRINAGAR, Jan 22 (PTI) — The chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Mr Shabir Ahmad Shah, and Hurriyat Conference in separate statements have called for observance of "black day" on January 26 in Kashmir.

Urging the government to allow people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their political future in a democratic way, Mr Shah said unless this was done celebrations like that of Republic Day would have no worth and value.

Resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the local people was in the interest of Kashmiris as this issue had reached a stage where it could affect the peace prospects of the entire world, Mr Shah added.