J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

9 hurt in militant violence during byelections
Srinagar, October 13
Nine persons, including four polling staff and an equal number of security personnel, were injured as militants triggered a landmine explosion and hurled grenades in vain bids to disrupt byelection to the Pahalgam Assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir where Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is in the fray.
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5 militants among 7 killed
Srinagar, October 13
Seven persons, including five militants were killed and a mother-son duo abducted in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, defence sources today said.

9 hurt in militant violence during byelections
Tribune News Service and PTI

Srinagar, October 13
Nine persons, including four polling staff and an equal number of security personnel, were injured as militants triggered a landmine explosion and hurled grenades in vain bids to disrupt byelection to the Pahalgam Assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir where Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is in the fray.

Militants triggered a landmine blast at Frislan, 95 km from here, near Pahalgam, blowing up a bus carrying polling staff and security personnel and injuring four polling staff, three CRPF jawans, a policeman and driver of the vehicle, official sources said.

The injured were rushed to hospital where the condition of one CRPF jawan was stated to be serious, they said.

Militants fired two rifle grenades at Katsoo and Saller polling stations when polling was in progress but they missed the target and exploded without causing any casualty.

The attack at Saller took place around at 12.30 p.m. and at Katsoo at 3.30 p.m., half an hour before the polling ended, the sources said. No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

JAMMU: A low polling of 18.66 per cent was recorded as the electorate in certain areas of the VIP constituency of Pahalgam, where Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed was in the fray, boycotted the poll today because of a threat of terrorists.

There were reports of militants having pasted posters at various places threatening the electorate not to cast their vote.

The fate of 43 candidates has been sealed in the four constituencies of Pahalgam, Batmaloo, Akhnoor and Basohli where byelection was held. The percentage of polling in these constituencies was 18.66, 12.2, 61 and 58.25, respectively.

There was poor turnout in the Pahalgam constituency where only 6 per cent electorate had cast their votes by 1 p.m. Polling in the constituency was much lower than the last Assembly elections of 2002 when 33 per cent votes were cast. Ms Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of the Mufti, had won the election, but she recently vacated the seat after being elected as a member of the Lok Sabha.

However, this time enthusiasm was lacking in the area and the polling booths in many areas wore a deserted look. This is after about 30 years that the Mufti is seeking election to the Assembly from the Kashmir Valley.

But the polling in the two constituencies of Akhnoor and Basohli in the Jammu division was high as compared to the Valley. The percentage of polling was 58.25 in the Basohli segment where Mrs Kanta Andotra, wife of Mr Lal Singh who vacated the seat following his election as a member of Lok Sabha, is the Congress candidate. There were 11 other candidates, including those of the BJP, the National Conference and the BSP.

The polling percentage in Basohli was 63.13 in the last Assembly election in 2002.

There was a drop of about 10 per cent in the polling percentage in the Akhnoor constituency where 61 per cent votes were cast today against 71.24 per cent in the last Assembly election.

There was enthusiasm among the electorate, particularly in the villages along the border with Pakistan in the Akhnoor constituency where 31 per cent votes were cast by the noon.

5 militants among 7 killed

Srinagar, October 13
Seven persons, including five militants were killed and a mother-son duo abducted in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, defence sources today said.

Four militants of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were killed when the army foiled their attempt to exfiltrate to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector yesterday, a defence spokesman said.

Based on specific information, troops of 18 Punjab launched a cordon and search operation near Maiyan village and confronted the militants who had taken shelter in the heights of the mountain ridge, waiting for a chance to exfiltrate across the border, the spokesman said.

Three AK assault rifles, a pistol and large quantity of ammunition and grenades were recovered from the slain militants, he said.

A police spokesman identified two of the deceased militants as Shabir Ahmad Dar of Sezan-Chakor village of Pulwama and Fayaz Ahmad War of Kunan Qaziabad of Baramulla district.

In another encounter, the defence spokesman said troops shot dead an unidentified militant during combing operations at Rajwar forest in Kupwara district this morning.

An AK rifle, a binocular and four magazines with 90 rounds were recovered from him.

A civilian Maqsood Ahmad was killed and another injured in a firing incident near Gopalpora in Anantnag district last night, the police spokesman said.

However, locals alleged that Maqsood died when he was hit by a bullet from an Army jawan during checking of vehicles.

The spokesman said militants abducted and later killed Parvez Ahmad, alias Niku (23), near his house at Salwah in Mendhar sector of Poonch district early today, dubbing him as an informer of security forces.

A militants abducted Mohammad Khursheed Gujjar from his house at Morah Bachai in Poonch district last night, the spokesman said, adding the mother of the abductee identified as Shakoora Bi accompanied her son in order to secure his release.

The whereabouts of both mother and son are not known so far, he said adding a hunt has been launched to trace them.

Security forces recovered a powerful IED planted by militants at Pujiteng near Bijnbehara, 45 km from here on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway this morning, the spokesman said.

He said a live grenade was also found lying at Hanjiveera on Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway this afternoon which was later defused by the experts.

The timely detection of the two devices on Baramulla-Srinagar-Jammu National Highway averted major tragedies, he said.

He said security forces busted a militant hideout at Kindrar in Mattihund in Anantnag district and recovered 57 hand grenades, 60 under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) grenades, 611 rounds and a magazine from there.

However, no one was arrested in connection with the seizure, he said. — PTI

Cut-flower decoration for Vaishno Devi pilgrims
M.L. Kak

Jammu, October 13
It will be a feast to the eyes of lakhs of pilgrims who are to start their trek to the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi from tomorrow in connection with the Navratra festival. Aimil Pharmaceuticals has so far spent over Rs 20 lakh on importing cut flowers from foreign countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and Australia, to decorate the shrine and its environs. The Chairman of the company, Mr K.K. Sharma, is himself supervising the 100 decorators who have been brought from New Delhi and Kolkata.

A number of pilgrims, who visit the shrine more than four times a year, said in Jammu today that the entire Bhawan area looked panoramic with the cut-flower decoration.

The shrine board has made elaborate arrangements to cope with the rush of pilgrims. The board authorities expect 20,000 pilgrims to offer prayers inside the holy cave every day. They said, “We have lodging arrangements for 22,000 pilgrims a day. In case there is a heavy rush, tented colonies may be raised for giving temporary accommodation to the pilgrims.”

The board has, for the first time, opened reservation on the Internet. And in case the yatris want ‘prasad’ to be delivered at their places, it can be sent by courier after the pilgrims complete the norms for having this facility.

Additional companies of security forces have been deployed right from Katra to the Bhawan to prevent militants from indulging in violence.

Plainclothesmen have been deployed in and outside the eating shops from Katra to the Bhawan to keep an eye on any anti-national element. Three years ago, militants had exploded bombs in two eating shops in Katra in which several pilgrims were killed and injured.

One private television channel has sent two OB vans, one for Katra and the other for the Bhawan, to telecast live the nine-day pilgrimage, including the prayers and offerings, by the pilgrims.

The entire 13-km-long mountain routes from Katra and the Bhawan are being spruced up by the board karamcharis to make the trek to the shrine comfortable.

A police team has been deployed at Katra to discourage overcharging by poneywallas and dandiwallas.

Police officials said over two dozen luxury buses would halt daily in Katra carrying pilgrims from not only Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal but from Gujarat and Maharashtra as well.

Security personnel deployed for guarding the Jammu railway station and the track up to Pathankot have been directed to remain alert so that militants are not able to harm any pilgrim.

With the expansion of facilities in Katra and on the route to the shrine, the annual pilgrim traffic has crossed 53 lakh when it used to be less than 10 lakh till 1985-86.

With the increase in the revenue of the shrine board, from cash donations and silver and gold offerings, Rs 25 crore have been earmarked for the establishment of Mata Vaishno Devi University.