J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

2 ultras, NC leader among 4 killed
SRINAGAR, April 13 — Two hardcore militants of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and a ruling National Conference activist were among four persons killed while forces captured a militant in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

BJP may not join NC delegation
JAMMU , April 13 — The state unite of the BJP is cool about joining the National Conference (NC) delegation, to be led by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, which plans to renew its plea to the Centre for releasing additional funds for the state.

42 kg charas seized in Jammu
JAMMU, April 13 — The police seized 42 kg of charas, worth over Rs 4 crore in the international market, from Lakhanpur village, 90 km from here, and arrested two persons, an official spokesman said here today.

2 ultras, NC leader among 4 killed

SRINAGAR, April 13 (UNI) — Two hardcore militants of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and a ruling National Conference activist were among four persons killed while forces captured a militant in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said that troops, on a specific information, cordoned off a portion of a forest in Lolab valley of north Kashmir late last night to nab militants hiding there.

When troops of Kilo Force were sealing the area, militants fired upon them with automatic weapons and hurled grenades.

Troops retaliated and killed two hardcore militants of Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

One of the slain militants was operations and financial in charge of north Kashmir.

Two AK rifles and some incriminating documents were recovered near the site of encounter.

At Wawoora in north Kashmir, people took to the streets in protest against the death of ruling National Conference activist S. Baig, allegedly due to torture by security force.

The demonstrators alleged that Baig was arrested by security forces during a search operation in the village on April 1 and later released after three days of torture.

Baig was admitted to hospital here in a critical condition where he died last evening.

A spokesman for the separatist All-Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference (APKHC) alleged that Jammu and Kashmir police Special Operations Group killed Nassar Ullah Malik of banned Hizbul Mujahideen and Niyaz Ahmad Sofi, vice-chairman, mass movement organisation, after their arrest in the down town on April 11 and 12.

Official sources said militants shot dead one Manzoor Ahmad Mir in his Potshahi Lolab house late night.

The SOG, Anantnag, arrested militant Abdul Aziz Ahangar during a routine check of vehicles at Batangoo last evening.

JAMMU: Army troops killed two militants in an encounter at Surrankote on Wednesday evening while a Station House Officer (SHO) was injured in a militant attack in Doda district.

Official sources said here that two foreign mercenaries were killed in an encounter between militants and Army troops at Dara Sangla in the Surrankote area of Poonch district. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the slain militants, the sources said. However, no casualty was suffered by the troops, the sources added.

On a tip-off about the presence of some militants at Keelth village of Doda district, a police party of Majalta police station headed by the SHO cordoned off the area. During the searches the militants started firing at the police party, which retaliated.

The SHO was injured and shifted to Army Hospital, where his condition was stated to be critical. Some blood stains were also seen at the site of encounter, indicating that militants might also have sustained injuries. The militants fled from the area after the clash.

BJP may not join NC delegation
Tribune News Service

JAMMU , April 13 — The state unite of the BJP is cool about joining the National Conference (NC) delegation, to be led by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, which plans to renew its plea to the Centre for releasing additional funds for the state.

The BJP and legislators belonging to other opposition parties had been recently invited by the Chief Minister to Delhi where they could persuade the Centre to help the state to come out of the three-year-long cash crunch. The BJP has not yet taken any final decision.

Inside reports said the state unit of the BJP is divided on whether it should join the NC delegation or not. One MLA from Jammu is in favour of going to Delhi along with the NC leaders while state Party chief D.K. Kotwal is said to be opposed to be a party to what the Chief Minister would convey to the central leaders.

Besides seeking bigger financial assistance by way of waiving of Rs 1275 crore central loan, more power supply from the northern grid, the Chief Minister has decided to persuade the Centre to give counter-guarantee so that work on several hydroelectric power projects could be taken in hand.

The state government is upset over the way it has to spend over Rs 550 crore annually on purchase of power. It wants Jammu and Kashmir to be given more share from the projects commissioned in the state. In addition to this, the Chief Minister would request the Centre to handover the Salal and other projects to the state after the state had paid the cost of these projects during the past several years.

It had requested the Centre to give counter guarantee for 590 mw Bhagliar power project but the Centre refused. The state government took a bold stand and entrusted the civil works to a private company. Reports said the Centre refused counter-guarantee on two factors. One , the financial position of the state government was quite dismissal and secondly the state had not floated global tenders which was mandatory for seeking counter guarantees. Instead it signed an MoU with the private company for construction of the Bhagliar power project in the Jammu region.

Loans for MLAs yes, relief for mishap victims no
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, April 13 — The state government failed to pay ex-gratia-payment to the kin of those killed in several road accidents in Udhampur district due to financial crisis. It also could not pay compensation to those injured in these accidents as was provided in the rules owing to cash crisis.

In the past three years several road accidents had taken place in Udhampur district in which 33 passengers were killed and 84 wounded. So far ex-gratia payment in case of those killed and financial help to those wounded have been paid in case of 19 persons. The state government has conveyed to the families of the dead and those wounded that it could not pay ex-gratia payment and other assistance because of financial problems.

Against this the government sanctioned car and house loans in favour legislators to the extent time of Rs 35 lakh. Among those who have received house loans have yet to purchase or procure land for the construction of the houses. One minister who has been given house loan is treated as a prince and owns palatial houses. Another MLA who has received car loan is a multimillionaire.

The car and house loans sanctioned in favour of the ministers and legislators have been between Rs 2.50 lakh and Rs five lakh.

Against this the total amount required for payment of ex-gratia payment and compensation to those dead and wounded in road accidents in Udhampur district was Rs 5.60 lakh.

42 kg charas seized in Jammu

JAMMU, April 13 (PTI) — The police seized 42 kg of charas, worth over Rs 4 crore in the international market, from Lakhanpur village, 90 km from here, and arrested two persons, an official spokesman said here today.

Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted a truck on its way from Srinagar to Delhi and found the contraband hidden in a tool box, he said.

The driver of the truck, along with his contact in Mumbai, were taken into custody and were being interrogated, he said.