6 militants killed in J&K
JAMMU, Aug 9 — Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and a woman were killed and two security personnel injured in an exchange of fire in the Draba area of Poonch district, official sources said today.

Teach Pak a lesson: Farooq
SRINAGAR, Aug 9 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today asked troops to be extra cautious and teach Pakistan a lesson as it had started targeting other places in Kashmir after its defeat in Kargil.

Awami chief to boycott LS poll
SRINAGAR, Aug 9 — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and head of Awami National Conference Ghulam Mohammad Shah today said his party should boycott the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

3,000 pilgrims leave for Pahalgam
JAMMU, Aug 9 — Another batch of 3000 pilgrims today left Jammu for Pahalgam and Baltal areas of Kashmir Valley for the trek to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas.

134 recruits don BSF colours
SRINAGAR, Aug 9 — As many as 134 recruits today wore the Border Security Force colours after completing 36 weeks of training at the Subsidiary Training Centre near here.

6 militants killed in J&K

JAMMU, Aug 9 (PTI, UNI) — Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and a woman were killed and two security personnel injured in an exchange of fire in the Draba area of Poonch district, official sources said today.

The encounter lasting two hours took place yesterday when security forces raided a militant hideout in Mastan Dara village in Surankote.

While two foreign mercenaries were killed in the encounter the other militants managed to escape.

A woman was also killed in the cross firing.

The injured security personnel have been admitted to a hospital in Poonch.

Elsewhere, militants kidnapped a village defence committee member in Doda district of Jammu region last evening.

A counter-insurgent and four militants were among six people killed and two Jawans were injured in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said security forces killed two militants each at Nagsari forest and Lolab in the frontier district of Kupwara during overnight operations. Two AK rifles, four magazines and 20 rounds were recovered from the slain militants.

He said a counter insurgent Mohammad Ashraf Bhat was killed by militants at Achabal in south Kashmir last evening. Militants hurled a hand grenade towards a security force party at Dupatyar in Anantnag injuring a constable.

He said militants fired upon a patrol party of Jammu and Kashmir Police Special Operation group at Mastan Dara last evening. In the evening crossfire a woman was killed and a constable injured.

Teach Pak a lesson: Farooq

SRINAGAR, Aug 9 (UNI) — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today asked troops to be extra cautious and teach Pakistan a lesson as it had started targeting other places in Kashmir after its defeat in Kargil.

Speaking to senior Army officers at Badami Bagh cantonment here today after laying wreaths on the body of Colonel Balbir Singh, who was killed in a militant ambush in the frontier district of Kupwara last week, Dr Abdullah said "after facing humiliating defeat in Kargil, we knew Pakistan will open new fronts’’.

"They can kill us all, but they will not take an inch of our territory’’, he asserted and added "we knew that they would send militants to attack us to lift the morale of their defeated forces. But, I am sure that our forces will defeat their designs successfully.

Just remain extra vigilant, to teach them a lesson, the Chief Minister suggested.

Earlier, wreaths were laid on the coffin of Colonel Balbir Singh by Jammu and Kashmir Governor G.C. Saxena, Corps Commander Lt General Krishan Pal and Major General R.K. Kaushal besides Director General of Police Gurbachan Jagat and other senior army officers.

Col Balbir Singh cremated
From Tribune Reporters

JAMMU, Aug 9 — The body of Col. Balbir Singh, who was killed in an ambush laid by militants in Kupwara sector on Saturday, was cremated with full military honours here today.

The body was brought by air. The Chief of Staff, Northern Command, Lieut-Gen A.R.K. Reddy, laid wreaths on the body. Several senior officers and state government officials were present when the body was cremated on the bank of the Chenab in Akhnoor. His son lit the pyre and a large group of civilians present there wept.

Awami chief to boycott LS poll

SRINAGAR, Aug 9 (UNI) — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and head of Awami National Conference (ANC) Ghulam Mohammad Shah today said his party should boycott the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

In case the majority working committee members goes against my views then the ANC will have to appoint a new president and and I will resign, — he said in a statement here.

Mr Shah, who is the brother-in-law of Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, said personally I am of the view that elections under the present circumstances are not and cannot be a substitute for the solution of this problem.

He said since 1951 this state has gone through many elections but the problems of the Kashmir stand where they were 50 years ago. Under these circumstances my considered view is that ANC should boycott this election.

He said the ANC believed that the problem could be resolved once the real representatives of the people of India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir sat on a common table.

3,000 pilgrims leave for Pahalgam

JAMMU, Aug 9 (PTI) — Another batch of 3000 pilgrims today left Jammu for Pahalgam and Baltal areas of Kashmir Valley for the trek to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas.

Three thousand pilgrims, who had come here from different parts of country, left in a fleet of 108 vehicles under police escort, officials manning the yatra told PTI.

Over 52,000 pilgrims have reached the cave shrine since the yatra began in July.

Meanwhile, in Jammu the rush of devotees from various parts of the country continued unabated. Many of the pilgrims had to wait here for few days for their turn to join the yatra.

The organisers of Baba Amarnath Trust have met the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and apprised him of problem being faced by pilgrims, who had not only to stand in long queues under the sweltering sun for registration, but also wait for a week before proceeding for Pahalgam or Baltal.

Most pilgrims adopt the traditional route of nearly 46 to 48 km to reach the cave shrine via Pahalgam. The shorter Baltal route of 13 km is patronised by the state government.

134 recruits don BSF colours

SRINAGAR, Aug 9 (PTI) — As many as 134 recruits today wore the Border Security Force (BSF) colours after completing 36 weeks of training at the Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) near here.

The recruits, hailing from different parts of the country, took part in the attestation parade held at the STC in Humhama amid applause by senior BSF officers, jawans and their families.

The Inspector-General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Mr Gopal Sharma, who was the chief guest took the salute at the march past and awarded medals to three jawans for their outstanding performance during the training.

Meanwhile, a senior BSF officer that said here today that the BSF was fully prepared to scuttle any attempt by Pakistan-backed militants to disrupt the Independence Day and parliamentary elections in the Kashmir valley.

"We will not allow militants to succeed in their nefarious designs to disrupt the next month's parliamentary elections or Independence Day in the valley", the Inspector-General of BSF, Srinagar, Mr Vijay Kumar told PTI here.