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Friday,
July 11, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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60 pc polling in elections to Five militants, two intruders
shot Omar reconstitutes
Working Committee Militancy toll: police, official records
vary |
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3,885 more Amarnath
pilgrims arrive
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60 pc polling in elections to Kargil council Srinagar, July 10 The polling which began at 8 am for 17 constituencies of the council was peaceful. There was also no report of any shelling by the Pakistani troops from across the border during the polling. Long queues could be seen outside the polling stations set up for about 60,000 voters and in some places large number of voters were seen an hour before the start of the polling. The polling was so far by and large peaceful and there was no report of any untoward incident. —
UNI |
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Five militants, two intruders shot Srinagar, July 10 The security forces foiled an infiltration bid when they shot dead a Pakistani intruder in an encounter at Bugna near LoC in the Keran sector of Kupwara district early today. In another infiltration bid, BSF personnel spotted an intruder in the R.S. Pora sector of Jammu yesterday and asked him to surrender. But he tried to run away and simultaneously Pakistani rangers opened fire. Indian Troops retaliated and in the exchange of fire, the intruder was killed, official sources said. In an encounter in nearby Karnah sector, the security forces killed a foreign militant at Halabannar forest last night. A Hizb-ul Mujahideen militant was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces at Thandi Chhan Mandan Kal Duligam in the Banihal area of Doda district last night. Another Hizb-ul Mujahideen militant Maqsood Hussain, a resident of Dabra Pranu village of Bhaderwah, was shot dead by his associates at Basti Nallah last night as he was planning to surrender. Militants killed Ashiq Hussain inside his house at Bani Trenkhal in the Thathri area of Doda district, the spokesman Said. JAMMU: The security forces busted three hide-outs of ultras and seized a huge quantity of ammunition and explosives, including 5606 rounds of ammunition and 157 different types of grenades in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir since last night, official sources said here today. The forces busted a major hide-out in Sawjian area of Poonch district and seized four under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGL) with 116 UBGL grenades, four rockets, 20 rifle grenades, 19 hand grenades, 22 anti-tank grenades, five claymore mines, five anti-personnel mines and one flame thrower. Besides, they also seized 10 AK magazines and 3500 Rounds of AK ammunition, 2016 rounds of Pika ammunition, three RPG rounds, seven radio sets, 14 radio set antennas, 16 electronic switches for IEDS and 27 delayed action switches from the hide-out. From two other hide-outs in the Gonthal and Pattan areas of Surankote tehsil in the district, the security forces seized three AK magazines and 90 rounds, two hand grenades, two radio sets and one matrix sheet. These hide-outs were later smashed by the security forces, the sources said. Meanwhile, the security forces will intensify their operations in the Poonch sector following the detection of foreign mercenaries, who are on the run from Suankote in the wake of “Operation Sarp Vinash”. The success notched up by the Army in Hill Kaka and its peripheral areas during “Operation Sarp Vinash” has led to ultras fleeing from these areas and now they are reportedly seeking shelter in civilian areas in a bid to mix up with the locals, security sources said today. Till now it was mostly Pakistanis who formed a large chunk of foreign mercenaries, but “spotters” employed by the forces have informed that besides Pakistani nationals, there are number of Afghans, Turkish, Sudanese and Saudi mercenarics who are operating in the Poonch sector and most of them have been operating under the banner of Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad. Their active involvement in attacks against the security forces and civilian killings cannot be ruled out, sources said. — PTI, UNI |
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Omar reconstitutes
Working Committee Srinagar, July 10 There will be 36 members in the Working Committee of the party with Sheikh Nazir to continue as its general secretary. Sheikh Nazir had been a close associate of the former Chief Minister and founder of the National Conference, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The reconstitution has set at rest speculation over the removal of Sheikh Nazir from the key position, which he has been holding for more than two decades now. According to a spokesman for the NC, senior party leader and former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Abdul Vakil will be a special invitee to the Working Committee. After Mr Omar Abdullah took over the reins of the party, the leadership had nominated the former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah Ahad its patron. The reconstituted Working Committee has 15 ministers in the last government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah. There are also some former members of the Assembly. Apart from the party President and general secretary, the 36-member Working Committee includes two provincial presidents, Dr Mehboob Beigh (Kashmir) and Ajay Sadhotra (Jammu). The former ministers include Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, Mohammad Shafi, Abdul Rahim Rather, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah, Mina Altaf Ahmad, Qamar Ali Akhoon, S.S. Salathia, Harbans Singh and Khalid Najeeb
Suhrawardy. |
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Militancy toll: police, official records vary Srinagar, July 10 The security forces and the police seized 310 quintals of explosives, including 68 quintals of RDX, besides thousands of other arms and ammunition in the state in the last 14 years. A police souvenir released here said there were 56,041 incidents of violence, including 10,093 explosions, 29,931 firing incidents, 5,561 arson, 763 rocket attacks, 4,597 abductions, 229 cases of hanging to death, 275 arms snatching cases and 4,592 other acts of violence from January 1990 till December last year. It said more than 30,000 civilians were killed during the 14-year-long militancy while 60,000 militants died during the same period. The security forces seized 24,785 AK-type rifles, 9,387 pistols and revolvers, 58 carbines, 1,003 RPGs, 91 light machine guns and self-loading rifles, 742 rocket launchers and 2,270 rocket boosters during the same period. Besides, 6,865 kg of RDX, 47,219 grenades, 5,228 anti-personnel mines and 4,176 rockets were also seized. The police claimed that it killed nearly 60,000 militants since the eruption of militancy in the state. However, this success was achieved after 1,037 police personnel sacrificed their lives and more than 2,300 were wounded during the period. The last three years saw more police casualties as compared to previous decade when the militancy was at its peak in the state. The souvenir quoting figures said the highest number of 187 police personnel lost their lives in 2001 followed by 131 each in 2000 and 2002. However, official figures available here said 34,948 persons, including 16,730 militants, were killed during the same period. It said 4,038 security personnel have also lost their lives while fighting the militancy in the state during the period. At least 11,008 civilians were killed by the militants while 3,172 lost their lives in the cross-firing. —
UNI |
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3,885 more Amarnath
pilgrims arrive Srinagar, July 10 An official spokesman said here second batch of 3885 yatris in 229 vehicles reached Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Baltal from Jammu, the first batch of 4106 yatris arrived in Pahalgam yesterday. The first batch of 4103 pilgrims left Chandanwari for the holy cave shrine today. The yatris will have darshan on Saturday, when the yatra commences formally. It will continue up to August 12 with Raksha Bandhan on the full moon of Shravan. The month-long yatra is being organised under tight security. The police and security forces have been deployed all along the yatra route from Jammu to the holy cave shrine on both axes, Pahalgam and Baltal routes. As per the Sen Gupta Committee’s Pahalgam and Baltal routes. As per the Sen Gupta Committee’s recommendations only 3500 yatris are to be allowed via Pahalgam while 800 yatris will be going via go the Sonmarg- Baltal route. PTI adds: The second batch of 3885 pilgrims comprises 2762 men, 657 women, 102 children and 364 sadhus who left at 7.10 am. from M A M stadium, he said. |
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Air show enthrals public Srinagar, July 10 The show was heralded in by three Chetak helicopters showering flowers over the people and lake followed by deep penetration strike fighters — Jaguars. The other planes that took part in the air show included advance interceptor and air defence MIG 29, ground attack MIG 23 and MIG 21 interceptor aircraft. The climax of the show was marked by 16 ace aerobatic team of IAF Surya Kiran flying in formation, forming intricate patterns like wine glass. In the recruitment drive, to be held on July 12-13, the air force will employ local youths for the post of skilled and semi-skilled technicians . The IAF will also spot talented youths for pilots and those selected here would have to undergo necessary tests at the National Defence Academy and at the Indian Military Academy before they join the training. —
PTI |
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