J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

NC worker among 5 killed in valley
Srinagar, June 4
Security forces today seized weapons, including 12 kg of explosives, from a mosque in the Kashmir valley where five persons, including a self-styled battalion commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen and a National Conference (NC) worker were killed overnight, a police spokesman said. 

Panthers Party for all-party govt in J&K
Jammu, June 4
The Panthers Party Chairman, Prof Bhim Singh, has called for the establishment of an all-party government in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of mounting tension on the border and escalated violence in the state.

4,210 youths join J-K police
Srinagar, June 4
As many as 4,210 youths were recruited in the local police in different parts of the state, following an on-the-spot recruitment drive, a spokesman said today.

Babloo, 2, a migrant boy from Garkhaal village, sleeps at a refugee camp, some 24 km from Jammu, on Tuesday, holding a bullet that was found at his village after cross-border shooting.  — Reuters

NC worker among 5 killed in valley

Srinagar, June 4
Security forces today seized weapons, including 12 kg of explosives, from a mosque in the Kashmir valley where five persons, including a self-styled battalion commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen and a National Conference (NC) worker were killed overnight, a police spokesman said. The arms and ammunition seized by the Special Operations Group of the local police from the Mandirbagh mosque in uptown Srinagar included two AK assault rifles, three rocket launchers, 10 improvised explosive devices, 12 kg of explosives, 150 metres of wire and two magazines, he said.

No one was arrested during the operation.

The self-styled battalion commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter with the BSF at the Jampathri area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir. He was identified as Ghulam Rasool Deedar alias Gazi, a BSF spokesman said.

Some ammunition and documents were seized from the slain militant who was wanted in connection with a number of insurgent attacks in south Kashmir, he added.

NC activist Nawaz Ahmad Khan was shot dead by militants in Anantnag district in South Kashmir last night, the police spokesman said.

Militants also shot at and injured another NC worker at Qazipora in Baramula district in north Kashmir late last night, he said adding that three persons were gunned down in Baramula district since last night.

Security forces arrested a person from the Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar today following the seizure of two hand grenades from his house.

In another development, 12 Hizbul Mujahideen militants surrendered before the Army authorities in the frontier district of Kupwara. PTI

Panthers Party for all-party govt in J&K
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 4
The Panthers Party Chairman, Prof Bhim Singh, has called for the establishment of an all-party government in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of mounting tension on the border and escalated violence in the state.

Addressing a news conference here today, Prof Bhim Singh said the Governor should head this government as an emergency situation had arisen in Jammu and Kashmir following the migration of over 24,000 people from the border villages.

The Panthers Party Chief said since the state government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah had failed to deliver the goods it had no moral and constitutional right to stay in power and that too when the level of corruption had touched new heights.

He said after visiting several border areas and the camps of migrants that he had found that the displaced people continued to live in a miserable condition. The government relief was inadequate and in certain areas no assistance had been given to the migrants, forcing hundreds of youths to resort to begging.

Prof Bhim Singh demanded that the Farooq regime be dismissed immediately. He said that the entire Surankot area in Poonch district was “fully infested” by the militants. People had come under a severe threat. He demanded that immediate steps be taken to flush out the militants from their bases in the area and in other belts of Poonch and Rajouri districts.

He expressed surprise over the inordinate delay on the part of the state government in implementing the Supreme Court direction asking the state to treat border migrants on a par with the Kashmiri migrants as far as relief and ration quantum were concerned.

The Panthers Party chief said besides the 25,000 border migrants, over 45,000 displaced families from Akhnoor and other sectors had been deprived of the basic amenities for the past over two years.

4,210 youths join J-K police

Srinagar, June 4
As many as 4,210 youths were recruited in the local police in different parts of the state, following an on-the-spot recruitment drive, a spokesman said today.

Director-General of Police, A.K. Suri recruited 62 youths at Chandil-Vanigam and Warpora in Baramula district of north Kashmir yesterday. Of them 35 were recruited at Chandil-Vanigam and the remaining 27 at Warpora.

Last month an on-the-spot recruitment was held by the DGP at two places, namely, Surisyar in Budgam district and Tral in Pulwama district. While 59 youths were recruited at Surisyar, 69 were recruited at Tral, the spokesman said. He said the recruitment had been conducted at 45 places of the state and as many as 4210 youths had been recruited so far. PTI