J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

BSF officer, seven militants killed
SRINAGAR, Feb 14 — BSF Assistant Commandant J.S. Pathania and seven militants, including two foreigners, were among 10 persons killed while the security forces averted a major tragedy in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

Bandh hits Jammu, Udhampur areas
JAMMU, Feb 14 — Barring a few incidents of stone pelting and disrupting transport service the bandh in Jammu poised off peacefully today. The call for the bandh was given by the BJP in protest against two bomb explosions on the railway track and in the city on February 10 and February 11 and in which 10 persons were killed.

Jail-break plan unearthed, 4 held
JAMMU, Feb 14 — Authorities unearthed a jail-break plot by 15 ultras, including four Pakistanis, in Rajouri following which four top militants, three of them from the neighbouring country, were shifted to high-security Kot Bhalwal Jail here, highly-placed official sources said today.

J&K highway reopens
JAMMU, Feb 14 — The 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened for traffic today.

BSF officer, seven militants killed

SRINAGAR, Feb 14 (UNI) — BSF Assistant Commandant J.S. Pathania and seven militants, including two foreigners, were among 10 persons killed while the security forces averted a major tragedy in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

Official sources told UNI that militants attacked a security force search party at Kursoo, about 5 km from here, this afternoon.

BSF personnel returned fire and in the shootout Assistant Commandant Pathania lost his life after killing the foreign militants. Further details were awaited.

The security forces also killed four militants in a fierce clash at Sarthal in Doda district of Jammu while Babu Ram and Santosh Puran were killed by militants in their houses at Dilli last evening.

Militants planted a 10 kg improvised explosive device (IED) near the gate of the Central Telegraph Office (CTO) and telephone exchange a stone’s throw from the office.

However, a guard posted in the nearby picket detected it and the bomb disposal squad of the Jammu and Kashmir police was summoned to defuse the IED.

The device, fitted with a gas cylinder, was placed in the drain, sources said and added that it could have caused extensive damage to life and property. Employees of the CTO and adjacent telephone exchange buildings were asked to vacate their offices before the device was defused.

BSF soldiers killed a militant at Adigam in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district last night. However, his accomplice managed to escape.

Militants shot at and critically wounded a Jammu and Kashmir police constable at Khannabal in south Kashmir last evening.

The Security forces captured a militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and recovered one universal machine gun, a grenade launcher with nine grenades, two remote controlled devices and two magazines at Armpora Srinagar today.

The forces also arrested a militant with a sniper rifle, four magazines and five rounds at Shatpora Kupwara last evening.

Bandh hits Jammu, Udhampur areas
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Feb 14 — Barring a few incidents of stone pelting and disrupting transport service the bandh in Jammu poised off peacefully today. The call for the bandh was given by the BJP in protest against two bomb explosions on the railway track and in the city on February 10 and February 11 and in which 10 persons were killed.

Normal life was paralysed with most of the shops closed and the passenger transport services were hit. Only private cars and three wheelers were, however, seen moving at several places.

Protesters burnt tyres to block traffic on several road arteries.

Attendance in government offices and banks was thin as the employees could not reach the offices in the absence of transport services. Educational institutions, including colleges, remained closed. The police and paramilitary forces patrolled several sensitive areas in the city to ensure incident free general strike.

The routine checking of vehicles and frisking of people at focal points continued. During search operations yesterday the police arrested a militant from the outskirts of the city. A large quantity of explosives was seized. During interrogation he admitted that he had been assigned the task of carrying out bomb explosions in Jammu during the bandh today.

Meanwhile, the police has started a ‘census’ of several localities to check the antecedent of people living there. The names of the house owner, his family members and that of their tenants are being recorded to ensure that no suspected militant takes shelter in these localities.

Additional police checkposts are being set up on the outskirts of the city to prevent infiltration of militants into the summer capital from the border areas. This is being done following reports that groups of militants are being assigned the task of kicking up major subversive violence in Jammu city and its adjoining areas as part of the Pak agencie’ programme of showing to the US President Bill Clinton that people of the Jammu region too to snap ties with India.

UDHAMPUR: On a call given by the BJP and other parties a bandh was observed in Udhampur town and its surrounded areas against the series of bomb blasts in the Jammu region.

Shops and educational institutional remained closed. Transport was also disrupted during the bandh.

A demonstration was held in the town and effigies of Farooq Abdullah and the ISI were burnt by the protesters.

Jail-break plan unearthed, 4 held

JAMMU, Feb 14 (PTI) — Authorities unearthed a jail-break plot by 15 ultras, including four Pakistanis, in Rajouri following which four top militants, three of them from the neighbouring country, were shifted to high-security Kot Bhalwal Jail here, highly-placed official sources said today.

The plot was uncovered following the recovery of a letter written by the ultras to a resident of Darhal village in Rajouri some time back, the sources said.

They said Arshad Mehmood Khan, Nadeem Abbasi, Manzoor Parwana — all Pakistanis — and Sayeed were shifted to Kot Bhalwal late last night under unprecedented security while four “overground workers” of militant groups were arrested for planning to help the ultras escape.

The militants were plotting to escape from the jail next week with the help of “overground workers”, the sources said.

The arrested persons, included a Constable at Rajouri jail, a court clerk and a dak bungalow guard.

J&K highway reopens

JAMMU, Feb 14 (UNI) — The 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened for traffic today.

Today, at least 15,000 vehicles, including some passenger buses and trucks loaded with essential commodities, were allowed to proceed towards Srinagar from Jammu.

Patnitop, Banihal, Banni Nallah, Shatani Nallah, Khooni Nallah, Lower Munda and Qazigund had experienced heavy snow during the past few days.