J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Separate homeland demand vindicated, say Pandits
Jammu, August 7
Reacting to the recent statement by four militant organisations that participation in the “freedom struggle” by Kashmiri Pandits was the only condition for their safe return to the valley, several Pandits leaders have said this “condition itself has vindicated our stand on a separate homeland for the Hindus within Kashmir.”

5 militants among 8 killed in valley
Srinagar, August 7
Eight persons, including five militants, were killed while ultras opened fire on a school excursion bus causing injuries to a student in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said today.

Troops rescue six hostages
Srinagar, August 7
Six persons taken hostage by militants at Bod Dardahaj village in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Kupwara were rescued yesterday by security forces. Defence Spokesman Lt Col V.K. Batra said here that 6 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops rescued the hostages on specific intelligence reports about the presence of militants in the village.

Militancy-related violence declines
Jammu, August 7
A recent government report has revealed that militancy-related violence has gone down in the Kashmir valley during the past seven months when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Separate homeland demand vindicated, say Pandits
Our Correspondent

Jammu, August 7
Reacting to the recent statement by four militant organisations that participation in the “freedom struggle” by Kashmiri Pandits was the only condition for their safe return to the valley, several Pandits leaders have said this “condition itself has vindicated our stand on a separate homeland for the Hindus within Kashmir.”

The Chairman of the Panun Kashmir, Dr Ajay Chrungoo, said here today, “By imposing a condition that we should participate in the freedom struggle launched by separatists could alone guarantee our safe rehabilitation in Kashmir indicated that neither teh moderates nor the hardliners are in favour of our return to the valley.”

He said the Panun Kashmir had raised the demand for a separate homeland for Hindus within Kashmir and this demand was either ignored by the Government of India or ridiculed by it and other main stream political organisations in Kashmir.”

Dr Chrungoo said, “Since we can neither participate in the so called freedom struggle nor dispute state’s accession to India we are, therefore, unwanted by the separatists warranting the creation of a separate homeland for about seven lakh displaced people.”

The general secretary, All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference, Mr H.L. Chatha, said, “Initially our organisation did not support the demand for a separate homeland. But we are convinced that without a separate homeland we have no chance to return to Kashmir where our community members could be targeted by the separatists and the rebels.”.

Dr Chrungoo referred to a series of statements by several moderate and radical leaders in the separatist circles and all those statements wanted “us of live as per the wishes of the militants.”

The Panun Kashmir leader said even the moderates among the separatists, led by Molvi Umar Farooq, were simply trying to “engage some Pandit leaders in a dialogue simply to enable them to gain representative character.” He said these moderates had neither condemned the stance adopted by the four militant groups nor “assured us that we are welcome in Kashmir without forcing us to participate in the freedom struggle.”

Mr Chatha said, “The nature of violence and the lack of enthusiasm displayed by mainstreams political leaders over the issue of our return to Kashmir indicate that our community people cannot be safe if they return at this juncture.”

However, about 1,500 Pandits, who have given in writing to the government that they were prepared to settle in the cluster tenements being constructed at Sheikhpura and two other places, had not abandoned their desire to go back to Kashmir.

5 militants among 8 killed in valley

Srinagar, August 7
Eight persons, including five militants, were killed while ultras opened fire on a school excursion bus causing injuries to a student in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said today.

He said unidentified gunmen last evening stopped and forcibly intruded into an excursion bus of Shopian’s Shah Hamdan School near Arwani Bijbehara while returning from Kokernag.

As the teachers and students resisted, the gunmen opened fire, resulting in injuries to a student Sheikh of Largam in Shopian.

The gunmen later escaped under the cover of darkness, he said, adding the wounded student had been shifted to a hospital.

Security forces killed two militants in an encounter at Dard Haji Vilgam in the frontier district of Kupwara last night.

In another encounter at Hokersar in Srinagar, security forces killed one militant.

One militant and a civilian, were killed while a security official was wounded in an encounter between militants and the security forces at village Dawan Behak in Bandipora last night.

The militant was identified as Abdul Rehman Khan of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the civilian was as Akhtar Ahmed.

He said some militants entered into the house of Abdul Qayoom in the Gool area of Jammu’s Udhampur district late last night and gunned him down while Latif Ahmad sustained bullet injuries.

Later, one of the militant was overpowered by the locals and beaten to death, the spokesman said.

A woman was killed and three others, including her four-year-old son, were injured in a grenade blast inside the Gujjar and Bakkerwal hostel in the heart of Doda town in the Jammu region last night.

The grenade was thrown by militants and exploded inside the hostel, causing on the spot death of Saira Begum, working as a cook in the hostel while her son Idrees, and others — Mohammad Rafiq and Mustafa — sustained critical injuries.

Security forces arrested four suspected militants from the Sopore town in north Kashmir along with four hand grenades, he said. — UNI

Troops rescue six hostages

Srinagar, August 7
Six persons taken hostage by militants at Bod Dardahaj village in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Kupwara were rescued yesterday by security forces. Defence Spokesman Lt Col V.K. Batra said here that 6 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops rescued the hostages on specific intelligence reports about the presence of militants in the village.

Among thoses rescued were three women and a child. ‘’Undeterred and showing concern for the common people, the troops of the 6 RR carried out a specific search operation based on intelligence reports about the presence of militants in the village,’’ he said. — UNI

Militancy-related violence declines
M.L. Kak

Jammu, August 7
A recent government report has revealed that militancy-related violence has gone down in the Kashmir valley during the past seven months when compared to the corresponding period last year.

A detailed report compiled by the police, has clearly revealed that while between January 2004 and December 2004 as many as 244 explosions, including grenade attacks, were carried out by militants, there were 139 explosions registered between January 2005 and August 2, 2005.

The report said the police eliminated 31 top ranking militants, including Divisional and District Commanders between January 2004 and July 24, 2005.

Official reports said as a result of coordinated anti-insurgency operations militants had avoided direct encounters with the security forces with the result the number of security personnel killed during the past seven months had dropped considerably.

Against 153 security men killed by militants between January and December 2004, not more than 73 security personnel lost their lives between January 2005 and August 2, 2005.

In case of Special Police Officers, 13 men lost their lives in 2004 against five during the past seven months.

As a result of sustained operations by the police and other security agencies, 445 militants, including 293 foreign mercenaries, were killed between January 2004 and December 2004. And the rebel elimination rate went up as during the past seven months 358, including 210 foreign mercenaries, were killed in the Kashmir valley.

As far as killing of civilians was concerned the rate had gone down as during the past seven months 236 militants were eliminated against 354 during the full year of 2004.

As far as the incidents of crossfire were concerned, there was a marginal decline. The report said that between January 2004 and December 2004, 127 incidents of crossfire were registered against 50 during the last seven months.

A senior police officer told this correspondent today that much bigger incidents than the ones witnessed during the attack on the tourist centre, Akhada building, and a couple of schools had taken place in Kashmir in the past which included the deadly attack on the Assembly complex, Central Telegraph Office and Civil Secretariat.

He said as many as 74 foreign mercenaries and 18 local militants had been killed last month against 31 foreigners and 12 locals in July 2004 indicating that the police had not adopted any laxity in anti-insurgency operations.