Srinagar, June 7
Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district last night.

The police and security forces have busted two hideouts and arrested 14 suspected militants in Baramula district of North Kashmir.

The two militants who were holed up in a house at Tumlahal village, Pulwama, were killed by the security personnel yesterday night after the area was cordoned off to carry out searche operations.

The encounter ensued when the hiding militants opened fire on the search party, which continued till past midnight.

Those killed have been identified as Ghulam Mohammad Rather, code Jaffer and Sabzar, and Farooq Ahmad Mantu from Meminder Shopian. Two AK 47 rifles and a few arms and ammunition have been recovered from the site of encounter.

According to a defence spokesman, the two Hizbul Mujahideen were identified as Zahoor Mir of Aramulla and Gul Mohamed Rather, alias Zafarul Islam, alias Sabza from Nikloora. The recoveries made from the spot included two AK rifles, six AK magazines, 95 rounds of AK ammunition, two pouches and three electronic detonators.

The growing trend of outsourcing of militants was exposed again with the busting of two Hizbul Mujahideen modules operating in Baramula and Sopore towns that were involved in carrying out two IED blasts.

DIG, North Kashmir range, B. Srinivas, said 14 persons of these modules had been arrested and two Chinese pistols and a large quantity of explosives seized from them. They were responsible for explosions on the national highway in Baramula in which two civilians were killed on March 16.

Another module was responsible for the IED blast on the Sopore-Bandipora road at Sopore on May 31 targeting the BSF convoy. Five more youths were arrested for their involvement in these two modules, the DIG said at Baramula.

Srinagar, June 7
Expressing concern over the “impending demographic disaster”, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone here today threatened to launch an agitation for stopping the process of “reducing the Kashmiris to minority in the fields of politics, academics and bureaucracy”.

He also supported his proposition on the ethnic aspirations in the state and the “need to allow an opt-out option” at a district level, which had generated a debate since he proposed it in May 22 rally here.

“I stand by every word…. And I feel a sense of pride, satisfaction and achievement in espousing a cause, which symbolises a dominant aspiration in the Kashmir region”, he told mediapersons.

This, he said, was in tandem with the statement in the “Vision Document-Achievable Nationhood” publicised earlier this year.

“A debate has been generated and there is a heightened sense of awareness among the Kashmiris about the impending demographic disaster that is likely to confront the coming generations”, he said.

Lone said he believed in the co-existence of all ethnic groups and communities as long as they wanted to exist together, not by force or coercion.

Lone added that his reference was to “opt out” and not “throw out”, which had evoked a debate since his May 22 speech with some “harsh negative reaction” from certain mainstream political parties.

The Peoples Conference chairman stressed on the need for evaluating the entire process in a power-sharing perspective.

He lamented that the peace process was going on a low pace and the people of the state were not being involved in it, an observation made by a few separatist leaders, including the JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and the moderate APHC.

Tracing the history since 1952 Delhi agreement, Lone said the ultimate objective of all these amendments was to shift power from the state to New Delhi.

He held that the current process of reducing the proportion of Kashmiris in governance and transforming them into a minority in bureaucracy and politics was also aimed at the powers sharing.

Lone held that the trend of “demographic distortion” was growing stronger day in and day out and said there was no time to sit back and remain confined to token protests.

The concept of ethnic accommodation was not subject to secession, which needed to be addressed at the earliest, as its impact would be felt by the future generations.

Udhampur, June 7
Inter-regional tension flared up in many parts of the district as Demarcation Commission chairman S.S. Bleoria visited different areas of the Ramnagar tehsil today to assess aspirations of the people.

A piquant situation has emerged in these areas as a bandh was organized on Tuesday to oppose administrations’ decision to include a few panchayats in newly-created Reasi district.

While as a section of villagers demanding that their Panchayats must be included in Reasi district, on the other hand inhabitants of same areas came on streets in favour of Udhampur district.

Some people staged a protest demonstration against some political parties for giving a call for bandh on Tuesday to remain in Udampur district.

Such differences have led to inter-regional tension among villagers of Chambaa, Chaduka, Bhagtha, Manun, Kanth, Baniaya, Sool and Kalyal.

Residents of Arnas and Dharmari are already up in arms against each other on the issue of tehsil’s creation.

Meanwhile, commission’s chairman S S Bleoira visited different areas of Ramban teshil and met a large number of people.

Resident of Majalata met him and demanded that their areas should remain in Udhampur district.

Jammu, June 7
The state unit of the BJP has called for evolving a statutory mechanism for ending regional disparities in government services.

Referring to Peoples’ Conference chairman Sajjad Lone’s demand for revoking the recently released list of candidates selected for the Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) and bigger share in government jobs for educated youths in Kashmir, senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh said: “Our party has favoured evolvement of statutory mechanism so that there is no hegemony of one region over the other in the government services.”

Lone had threatened to start a civil disobedience movement by gheraoing the civil secretariat if the administrative services list, which had more candidates from the Jammu region than from the valley, was not cancelled.

He said: “The candidates’ are selected through a competitive examination and if Lone has any grievance he should first realise that 95 per cent jobs, right from Class IV to the secretary level, in the civil secretariat are in the hands of Kashmiris”.

The BJP leader said over the years people living in the Jammu region have been given step-motherly treatment in every sphere of activity.

There was need for not only giving equal share to Jammu and Kashmir in the government jobs but in the devolution of funds in the two regions also.

“We do not want major share in the government jobs or funds to go to another region which could further aggravate the level of discrimination.”

They then used coach freshners and sprayed the coaches with anti-cockroach chemicals after which the train was allowed to leave the station.