J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Aid announced for flood victims
Srinagar, August 8
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000 to next of kin of each victim of the floods and one month’s free ration to the affected families in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region.

3 killed, 20 injured in bus accident
Srinagar, August 8
Three persons were killed and 20 injured when a mini bus carrying them veered off the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and plunged into a deep gorge at Sempora in Pulwama district today.

Three Jaish terrorists killed
Jammu, August 8
Hassan Pakistani, a trusted lieutenant of Azhar Masood, and two other terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) tasked with creating trouble during the Independence Day celebrations were killed in two encounters with the security forces here today.

20 hurt in Handwara blast
Baramula, August 8
At least 20 persons were injured in a grenade blast at Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara this afternoon, sources said. Militants hurled a grenade towards a convoy of the security forces near the local fire station around 12.30 pm.

A woman injured in a grenade blast at Handwara being taken to a hospital in Srinagar on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Amin War

8 terrorists shifted to Jodhpur jail
Jammu, August 8
Five Pakistani and three Afghan terrorists were last evening shifted to a jail at Jodhpur in Rajasthan from the high-security Kot-Bhalwal prison here following the recent arrest of an official of the jail and a conduit, who was carrying Rs 35,000 for giving to certain foreign terrorists inside the prison.

Aid announced for flood victims
Tribune News service

Srinagar, August 8
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000 to next of kin of each victim of the floods and one month’s free ration to the affected families in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region.

This announcement was made by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad after conducting an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of the frontier cold desert region today. He also announced immediate relief of Rs 50 lakh each to Leh and Kargil districts in the first instance for urgent relief measures. The Chief Minister directed the authorities to assess the loss within 24 hours and submit the report to the government for assistance.

Six persons, including three Army men, were killed in the region due to flashfloods. They included one Nepalese labourer, whose body was fished out yesterday, officials in Leh said. A cloudburst in the Batalik area of Kargil district resulted in rise in the water level up to 8 feet, washing away a major portion of a pucca building, resulting in the death of three Army personnel and two porters, a defence spokesman said.

Addressing a meeting at Leh, Mr Azad said the magnitude of damage was beyond imagination. He said the damage witnessed from the aerial view called for perspective planning for not only relief and restoration of the damaged infrastructure but also evolving effective flood-protection measures.

The Chief Minister directed the administration to be vigilant even if rains had stopped and the water was receding, saying that a heavy downpour for so many days had made the soil highly saturated and any further rain could lead to eventualities. It was also revealed that, apart from Rs 10,000 each to a family whose house was completely damaged, an additional amount of Rs 10,000 each would be paid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Similarly, in the case of partial damage, Rs 2,000 relief and additional amount of Rs 2,000 would be given from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

A defence spokesman here said nearly 2,000 people had been evacuated and shifted to tents pitched at Angling, Phayang and Chuchuit in Leh division, the spokesman said.

3 killed, 20 injured in bus accident

Srinagar, August 8
Three persons were killed and 20 injured when a mini bus carrying them veered off the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and plunged into a deep gorge at Sempora in Pulwama district today.

The overloaded bus was coming from Ladu to Srinagar city when it skidded off the road at Sempora and rolled into a 50-foot-deep gorge, official sources said.

Two of the injured died on the way to hospital here, while the third succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, they said, adding 20 others were admitted with injuries. — PTI

Three Jaish terrorists killed
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 8
Hassan Pakistani, a trusted lieutenant of Azhar Masood, and two other terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) tasked with creating trouble during the Independence Day celebrations were killed in two encounters with the security forces here today.

Hassan was shot dead by soldiers of the Army in the Keshwan area of Doda district from where he was operating. He belonged to the Sheikhupura area in Pakistan.

Dr S.P. Vaid, IGP, Jammu, said two other terrorists of the JeM outfit were gunned down while they were heading towards the Jammu city early this morning.

Both of them were suspected to be suicide attackers and were killed in an encounter near Nagrota, about 13 km from here.

20 hurt in Handwara blast

Baramula, August 8
At least 20 persons were injured in a grenade blast at Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara this afternoon, sources said.

Militants hurled a grenade towards a convoy of the security forces near the local fire station around 12.30 pm. However, it missed the intended target and exploded on the road, causing injuring to 20 persons.

The injured were admitted to a hospital. Six of them were later shifted to Srinagar. — UNI

8 terrorists shifted to Jodhpur jail
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 8
Five Pakistani and three Afghan terrorists were last evening shifted to a jail at Jodhpur in Rajasthan from the high-security Kot-Bhalwal prison here following the recent arrest of an official of the jail and a conduit, who was carrying Rs 35,000 for giving to certain foreign terrorists inside the prison.

The conduit and the jail official were arrested while transacting the money.

Reports said the Pakistani terrorists had been trying to suppress the Kashmiri terrorists.

The Kashmiri terrorists refused to accept the diktats of the Pakistani terrorists and named Mohammad Ayub as their head. This resulted in clashes between the two groups every now and then.