The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, August 1, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

J A M M U & K A S H M I R

5 mercenaries gunned down
Tribune News Service and UNI

Jammu, July 31
While the Army and the police eliminated five hardcore militants in the Ranjit forest belt of Poonch today, a massive search operation was on to track down a large group of militants which had sneaked into the Hiranagar area of Kathua district from across the border.

BSF jawans stand near a vehicle that was damaged in a powerful explosion at Bemina bypass in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Wailing over the death of her husband, Munshi Ram, who was killed in an IED explosion at Bemina bypass in Srinagar on Tuesday. — PTI photo

A Defence Ministry spokesman said on a specific information the police and the troops cordoned off a hideout in the forest belt. He said as the security forces neared the hideout they came under heavy fire which was retaliated in which two militants were killed. Three others tried to escape but the security forces chased them and gunned them down a few metres away from the hideout.

Large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives including three assault rifles, grenades, pistols and sniper rifles were seized. The spokesman said those killed were foreign mercenaries.

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	Dissidents insist on Qureshi’s ouster July 22, 2001
	Statehood demand gaining ground July 21, 2001

According to the police a report reaching the police authorities revealed that a group of Pak-trained infiltrators had sneaked into the Jakher area of Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district for subversive activities. The security forces were rushed to the spot and the search operation was launched.

SRINAGAR: At least one person was killed and nine others, including a BSF officer and his wife, were injured in a mine blast at Bemina, on the outskirts of the city, on Tuesday. BSF DIG R.P. Singh said militants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device planted in a hand cart when a vehicle of 34 battalion BSF was passing the Bemina area.

He said the IED (improvised explosive device) went off seconds after the vehicle crossed the area. The driver lost control over the vehicle and it overturned injuring BSF Assistant Commandant, his wife and two jawans.