Srinagar, October 3
Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Zainpora area of Shopian district last night.

Acting on a tip-off, the Army and the police launched a joint operation in Darwani, Zainpora village yesterday during which the troops noticed the movement of two militants.

The militants were asked to surrender but they resorted to indiscriminate firing. The troops retaliated and in the ensuring gunbattle, two militants were killed.

The ultras have been identified as Abdullah from Pakistan and Rayees Ahmad of Patipora in Pulwama. Two AK-56 rifles, three magazines, 59 AK rounds, two hand grenades, two ammunition pouches and one radio set were recovered.

JAMMU: The BSF gunned down a militant and foiled yet another infiltration attempt, third in a week, in RS Pura sector last night. However, other militants managed to retreat to the Pakistani side.

According to official sources, the intruders, numbering three or four, tried to sneak into Indian territory from the Korotana Khurd post along the border. After being spotted through a hand-held thermal imager, they were challenged by BSF troops. There was firing from the Pakistani side to give cover to the militants while they were moving between the 'bandh' and the fence. The BSF troops returned the fire in which one infiltrator was shot dead, while the others managed to escape back to Pakistan. The body of the slain intruder has been recovered.

Additional DIG (Intelligence) BSF JB Sangwan said: "We have lodged a strong protest with our Pakistani counterparts over the recent infiltration.

8-day encounter claims 13 ultras

SRINAGAR: Eight-day-long clearing operation in the high altitude region around Chhamar Sar lake in Bandipore district has claimed lives of 13 unidentified militants. The bodies of 11 militants have been recovered so far.

An Army jawan was also killed in the encounter. The area is still cordoned off, the Army said.

The operation started on September 24 and continued till October 1.

The group of 13 militants was on an inter-sector movement in Harmukh mountain range from Bandipore to Kangan area towards south Kashmir, Maj Gen VSS Goudar, GOC, Kilo Force told mediapersons here today.

Jammu, October 3
The Pakistan Rangers is backing the infiltration attempts in Jammu frontier and their involvement has been established in the last two infiltration bids, said new BSF director-general M.L. Kumawat here today.

Interacting with the media after a sainik sammelan at the BSF headquarters in Paloura here, he said: "It has come to light that the Pakistan Rangers had provided the cover fire to the infiltrators during the last two infiltration attempts along the border." Besides lodging a strong protest during the flag meetings with Pakistan, the BSF had also been giving a befitting reply to their bids to push in infiltrators.

On the militants now targeting border instead of LoC for infiltration, Kumawat said the terror groups kept changing their strategy. He attributed this change to the forthcoming Assembly elections as well as the onset of the winter along the LoC in the valley. "They want to disturb the atmosphere ahead of elections in the state," he added.

Kumawat said there were inputs about launching pads for the militants on the other side of the border. Regarding their number, he said though they didn't know the exact number of terrorists waiting to sneak in, but there were quite a few terror groups taking training in Pakistan.

Earlier, the BSF chief visited the Chak Phagwari Post in Pargwal sector and the Tent Post in Kanhachak sector along the IB where infiltration attempts were foiled during the past seven days.

Srinagar, October 3
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has asked the Centre to take steps for a peaceful and everlasting solution to the Kashmir problem and expressed concern over the arrest of Hurriyat leaders in different parts of the state.

Addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here today, Mirwaiz appealed to the people to maintain peace and discipline for making the Lal Chowk march scheduled for Monday a success.

The Lal Chowk rally called by the separatist coordination committee was earlier scheduled for August 25, but could not be held with the authorities taking stringent restrictive measures. Top leaders of the coordination committee, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik were arrested a day before the scheduled march while curfew was imposed on all 10 districts of the Kashmir valley.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged the international community to take notice of the alleged excesses at the hands of the security forces being committed in Kashmir.

Syed Ali Geelani, chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, however, was under house arrest and could not offer Friday prayers.

According to reports here, a number of youths have been picked up as a preventive measure ahead of the Lal Chowk rally, but this was denied by the police.

A spokesman of the Awami Action Committee of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said several leaders of the APHC in Doda district, including Abdul Ghani Shah, had been arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The spokesman added several workers and activists were being harassed and arrested.

Jammu, October 3
PoK refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 refugees, including those from west Pakistan, took out a protest rally here today under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Refugees' Front (JKRF), demanding implementation of the Wadhwa Committee report.

Led by JKRF president Capt Yudhvir Singh (retd), hundreds of refugees drawn from different parts of Jammu reached the divisional commissioner's office at Mubarak Mandi in the form of a procession.

With placards and banners in their hands, they raised anti-government slogans for what they claimed "continued repression of their fundamental rights by successive regimes".

“Hounded out of our homes and hearths in Pakistan we are still considered to be outsiders deprived of fundamental rights in this state, said Anil Kumar, one of the agitating refugees.

"Mouthing platitudes doesn't convince us anymore. Before we go astray and resort to extreme steps government should better mend its ways," said a West Pak refugee.

Addressing the agitators, JKRF president Capt Yudhvir Singh (retd) accused the government of harbouring mala fide intentions in resolving their problems. If the government remained indifferent “we would be forced to intensify our struggle”, he said.

Udhampur, October 3
Even as the state BJP has kicked off an aggressive campaign for the forthcoming Assembly elections, many veteran leaders in the party have raised a banner of revolt for what they say their having been sidelined

As the high command has dropped hints to field young faces in the coming elections, these veterans feel that the party has ignored their experiences and "sacrifices".

On the one hand infighting between two leaders for the Udhampur seat has intensified, on the other three veteran activists from Kishtwar have announced to leave the party as they had lost all hopes to get nomination for the coming elections.

Former president of Doda district Manmohan Gupta and Brij Mohan Sharma resigned, levelling serious charges against the leadership. Another prominent leader Niranjan Sharma also left the party to join the dissident group. These leaders alleged that high command has given preference to those who are naive in politics.

Sources said the party had almost finalised the candidature of Sunil Sharma for Kishtwar seat. Having the backing of the RSS, Sunil Sharma has played an active role in the agitation on the Amarnath land row.

Sources said instead of repeating veteran leaders, the BJP has decided to field young candidates on all four assembly seats of Kishtwar and Doda districts. The party has also decided to give the mandate to a young Muslim candidate from one seat.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Ashok Khajuria along with former president Daya Krishan Kotwal, general secretary Bali Bhagat, highlighted the party’s role during the 63-day-long agitation on the Amarnath land row during the ‘Swabhimaan’ rally at Ramban. The BJP received a shot in the arm when a group of Muslim youths led by Raja Rayaz Ahmed joined the party.

Jammu, October 3
Notwithstanding the regional divide that has surfaced after the two-month-long agitation over the Amarnath land row, a number of people in the Kashmir valley have come forward to seek a BJP ticket to contest the Assembly poll in the state.

State BJP president Ashok Khajuria said today: “People in the valley, including Muslims, have come to us for a party ticket.”

He said: “In view of the growing demand for the BJP ticket, we may field candidates in more than 25 constituencies in the valley.”

As far as the Jammu region is concerned, Khajuria said, “Around five to 10 persons from each of the 37 constituencies have been seeking BJP tickets.”

Khajuria said he had not received any request from senior BJP leaders, who had sought party tickets for their wives, brothers and other relatives.

“Everybody has a right to seek our party ticket but we have decided to select candidates for the BJP ticket on the basis of their performance in the organisation,” he said.

On the suggestion of the Sangharsh Samiti that pro-Jammu parties should come on a platform to contest the election, Khajuria said: “We have not received any such suggestion from the samiti.”

He said: “One thing is certain the BJP will contest the election on its own and if any suggestion came from the samiti it would be discussed by the party high command.”

State BJP vice-president Hari Om said: “The BJP will not forge any pre-poll alliance with the Congress, PDP, National Conference or Panthers Party.”

“Forging an electoral understanding with those political parties that supported the samiti during the agitation over the revocation of the land diversion order could be discussed at an appropriate time,” he said.

He claimed that the rush for the BJP tickets was understandable because everybody would like to be with the winning horse.

Udhampur, October 3
The Congress has been desperately looking for new faces for all three seats of Udhampur district, namely Udhampur, Ramnagar and Chenani, to give a good fight to the BJP and the Panthers Party.

In the 2002 Assembly elections, the Congress had not only lost all three seats, its candidates failed to effectively register their presence in the district where a real fight was between the BJP and the Panthers Party.

Although there are more than 24 “strong” candidates, who have been staking their claims on the three seats, these leaders failed to expand the party’s base in the district.

Selecting fresh faces is not an easy task even as former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had deputed his political adviser Janak Raj Gupta to shortlist some potential faces but after Prof Saifuddin Soz took control of the party this process has been stalled.

PCC chief Soz has so far addressed one public meeting at Udhampur in June which was organised by Lok Sabha member Lal Singh.

As the party has been facing dearth of potential candidates, the Congress has entrusted a former minister to lure some BJP leaders to join the party. The party is trying to take benefit of the tussle between two BJP leaders in Udhampur.

The Congress leadership has realised it has to field new faces in Udhampur district where the party drew a blank in the two successive elections of 1996 and 2002.

After Doda, Udhampur is a crucial district for the Congress where it has been facing a stiff challenge from the BJP and the Panthers Party.

Jammu, October 3
Taking advantage of being a namesake, she tried to befool the state consumer redressal commission. But it proved costly for Misra Begum.

Dismissing her complaint, the commission has directed the IGP, Crime Branch, Srinagar, to register a case against Begum, who used fraudulent means to get an insurance policy. She had claimed compensation for the alleged loss to her house and furniture, which were destroyed in fire, which broke out as a result of an encounter between militants and security forces.

The New India Assurance Company Ltd after getting the preliminary inquiry report, appointed Ravi Dhar as surveyor to make the final report. He assessed the loss to the tune of Rs 4.63 lakh.

However, Begum was informed that her claim was not genuine and it was declared as “no claim”.

The insurance company found that Begum with the help of company agent Bashir Ahmad got the policy, which originally belonged to another Misra Begum w/o late Abdul Kareem Zargar, resident of Chelora in Magam. She took benefit of being her namesake and prepared a false and fabricated insurance policy.

The departmental inquiry ultimately resulted into the cancellation of license of Bashir Ahmad. The complainant was informed regarding cancellation of claim by registered post.

The consumer commission said prima facie offences of fabrication of public documents and cheating are found to have been committed.

It asked the IGP to register a case and submit the final report after the investigation. It said the forum has been created for redressal of grievances of genuine consumers and not as money minting counters for unscrupulous and fraudulent consumers.

Udhampur, October 3
Although the Army went back to the barracks this afternoon after the protest call given by the Hurriyat Conference fizzled out due to lack of public support, the minority community continued to live in fear after some miscreants lobbed a grenade in the house of a RSS leader in Kishtwar town on Thursday.

According to sources, police picked up some suspects but failed to get any lead. Meanwhile, a delegation of the residents today called on the police officers and demanded strengthening of security arrangements in the town.

After the arrest of two Hurriyat Conference leaders under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Thursday morning, some miscreants threw a grenade in the house of RSS leader Chuni Lal Parihar in Hadyal area in the evening.

Explosion of the grenade did not cause much damage as it exploded near the main gate and all the family members were inside the house.

Keeping in view the prevailing tension in the town, the authorities had called in the Army and trooped were deployed in the sensitive areas.