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| Friday,
March 23, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Farooq admits to rise in
killings BSF jawan killed in ambush Eight ultras among
10 killed in J & K Hurriyat leaders
meet US envoy ITBP officer drowned in
lake |
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Farooq admits to rise in
killings Jammu, March 22 Replying to a question in the Assembly here today, the Chief Minister admitted that during the past three months of ceasefire the killing rate of civilians and security personnel had increased. He said militants, especially those belonging to Laskhar-e-Toiba, were demonstrating their opposition to the peace process. In reply to a question raised by CPM member M.Y. Tarigami, Dr Farooq said till date 11,767 civilians had been killed. He said during these 12 years, 2164 security personnel and 214 policemen had been killed by militants. The security forces had eliminated over 2500 militants, including 1793 foreign mercenaries. He said 342 political activists had been killed by the rebels during these years. When Mr Tarigami expressed concern at the increased rate in the killing of civilians, the Chief Minister said the government had provided security to a large number of political activists. He said: “We will continue our fight against the militants as we had been doing in the past one decade”. On Mr Tarigami’s plea for tracing those civilians who had been missing for a long time, he said the government agencies were on the job. He informed the House that militants had been operating in the guise of Army men to tarnish the image of troops and security forces. A committee of senior police and intelligence officers had been set up in each district to carry out a periodic review of the security situation and take measures for tracing missing civilians. In reply to a supplementary, the Chief Minister told Mir Saifullah of the National Conference that he would take up the matter of raising ex gratia relief for those killed by militants to Rs 5 lakh as in the case of the police with the Centre. He informed Sheikh Abdul Rehman and Mr Ashok Khajuria of the BJP that the government had examined complaints against police excesses but invariably these were found to have been stage-managed to demoralise the security forces. The Law Minister, Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, informed Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir of the NC during question hour that the state government continued to persuade the Central Government to allow the state to increase the seats in the Legislative Council. Members expressed anxiety over the delay on the part of the Centre to give approval of a Bill passed by the legislature two years ago. |
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BSF jawan killed in ambush Srinagar, March 22 Constable Hari Paul of 63rd Battalion was killed when militants opened fire on a BSF party at Nowhatta in Srinagar early today, a police spokesman said. Troops of the BSF retaliated but the ultras escaped, the spokesman said, adding a Sub-Inspector was slightly injured in the skirmish. The area was cordoned and a hunt was on to nab the militants. Six civilians were wounded when militants lobbed a grenade at a joint patrol of the ITBP and the police at Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The grenade missed its target and exploded on the road, wounding six pedestrians. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the two incidents. Militants also lobbed a grenade at a BSF picket at Hathishat in Baramula district in north Kashmir last night, but none was hurt. A policeman’s residence was torched by an unidentified gunman in Salai-ashmuqam in Anantnag district. A militant was killed in an exchange of fire with an Army patrol in Ghambbir Moghala area of Rajouri district in Jammu last night. Three militants were killed in an encounter in Garang area of Poonch district. Three rifles, six magazines, nine hand grenades, three RPGs and two wireless sets besides some explosive material were recovered from the site. Another militant was killed by the Army in Rajouri district.
PTI
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Eight ultras among 10 killed in J & K
Jammu, March 22 Militants ambushed a BSF patrol in Nowhatta locality of Srinagar this morning killing constable Hari Paul and injuring a Sub-Inspector, he said. BSF personnel picked up two youths and a couple from the area after the incident, he said. While the youths were set free after questioning, the couple was still in custody. Three militants were killed in an encounter with the Army in the Garang area of Poonch district late last night, he said. Three AK rifles, nine hand grenades and three RPGs besides some explosives were seized from the site. Three militants, including one beloning to Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT), were killed in two encounters at Jamola and Haryali in Rajouri district last night, he said. Two militants were killed in separate encounters with the Army in Rajouri district last night, the spokesman said. A woman was killed in the crossfire between the Indian Reserve Police (IRP) and militants in the Mahakund area of Udhampur district late last night. Eight civilians were injured when a grenade lobbed by militants at a joint patrol of the ITBP and the police at Qazigund on the
Srinagar-Jammu national highway missed the target and exploded on the road early today, he said.
PTI
Hurriyat leaders
meet US envoy New Delhi, March 22 During the meeting, lasting over an hour, the Hurriyat delegation led by its chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat conveyed its views on the “delay” in grant of travel documents to its leaders to travel to Pakistan for furthering the peace process. The Hurriyat leaders discussed the entire range of issues, including the unilateral ceasefire and their proposed visit to Pakistan. The Hurriyat chairman said Mr Celeste assured that he would convey their sentiments to the US establishment. |
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Srinagar, March 22 A spokesman of the ITBP said here today that Mr Narian was moving on a high ground along the shores of the lake when he slipped and fell into the frozen waters. Mr Narian made several attempts to come out but was trapped. By the time his colleagues could cut the ice, Mr Narian had suffered a severe heart attack due to hypothermia.
UNI |
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