J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

10-year-old killed in blast; ex-minister escapes bid on life
Jammu, September 9
The police today claimed to have shot one of the seven Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists who had escaped the cordon of the Army from the jungle of Ghatti during an encounter which lasted seven days.

Police refutes claims about missing persons
Srinagar, September 9
Police investigations into the alleged cases of 84 disappearances during the coalition government’s period, listed out by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, have found that at least 26 of these persons were in their homes and claim was totally motivated.

Bank officers want transfer from valley
Jammu, September 9
The officers association of Punjab National Bank staged dharnas outside the regional offices at Jammu and Srinagar yesterday demanding transfers for officers from the Kashmir Valley on completion of their tenures.

10-year-old killed in blast; ex-minister escapes
bid on life
Tribune News Service and Agencies

Jammu, September 9
The police today claimed to have shot one of the seven Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists who had escaped the cordon of the Army from the jungle of Ghatti during an encounter which lasted seven days.

The terrorist was shot during an encounter at Malman village, about one km from Ghatti, on the other bank of the Ujh river. He was spotted yesterday near the village, where he injured a soldier, Major Singh. The soldier snatched his AK-47 assault rifle, but the terrorist attacked him with a knife.

There was no trace of the other six terrorists. They are believed to have proceeded towards the hills of Bani and Billawar adjoining Himachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old girl, Ina, was killed and nine others, including a CRPF jawan, were injured as terrorists hurled a grenade in front of the district police lines at Doda.

One person, Abdullah Paud, was shot by a terrorist in the market of Gool in Udhampur district this morning. He had recently taken shelter in Gool as terrorists had burnt his house at Deda village.

Security forces shot two terrorists at Marmat in Doda district.

BSF men shot a Pakistani intruder in the Jabbwal area in Jammu district.

One civilian, indentified as Nazir Hussain, was killed by militants at his house in the Kalal-Kachbalni area of Rajouri district last night.

Terrorists also fired at one civilian, Mohammad Bashir, after kidnapping him from Hari village in Poonch last night. He was later hospitalised.

Meanwhile, two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants surrendered before the Army in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district.

A special police officer, injured in a militant attack at the Gursai police station on Saturday afternoon, succumbed to injuries in Jammu yesterday.

SRINAGAR: In the second abortive bid on the lives of National Conference leaders in the state in two days, militants fired at former minister Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah on Tuesday, killing one of his security officers and injuring another, in Anantnag district.

Mr Shah had gone to attend a marriage function at Sopat-Tengpora in the Kulgam area when the militants opened fire at him. He had a providential escape.

One of the injured, identified as Gulzar Ahmad, later succumbed to injuries.

The militants decamped with a carbine and an AK rifle. A manhunt was launched to nab the militants.

Police refutes claims about missing persons
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 9
Police investigations into the alleged cases of 84 disappearances during the coalition government’s period, listed out by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, have found that at least 26 of these persons were in their homes and claim was totally motivated.

According to a police spokesman, whereabouts of 16 others had been established. Six ‘disappeared persons’ had joined militant ranks while two others had been confirmed to be taken away by militants. Five others who had joined these ranks had been killed in militancy-related incidents. One ‘disappeared’ persons was in the Central jail. The investigation about other names figuring in the list of ‘disappeared persons’ was in progress and every effort was being made to establish their whereabouts.

Bank officers want transfer from valley
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 9
The officers association of Punjab National Bank staged dharnas outside the regional offices at Jammu and Srinagar yesterday demanding transfers for officers from the Kashmir Valley on completion of their tenures.

The other demands included implementation of the agreed transfer roaster and ending the pick-and-choose transfer policy.

BRIEFLY

YAGYA: A fourteen-day yagya would be organised here from October 27 by the Ram Raj Narayan Sevashram Trust for peace in the world and particularly in the turmoiled Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Suresh Sharma, president of the trust, said this would be the biggest congregation of spiritual leaders and sadhus. The yagya would be held in one of the islands in the Tawi river near here.