Seven militants killed in J&K
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 —Seven militants were killed in separate overnight encounters in Jammu and Kashmir while two powerful blasts rocked the Hazratbal area of Srinagar today.

Steps taken to check copying
JAMMU, Oct 20 — With the aim to prevent copying in the board examinations in Jammu and Kashmir, Section 144, has been imposed by the District Magistrates around the examination centres.

Tourist’s body found in Dal Lake
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — A tourist from Calcutta drowned in Dal Lake here today, official sources said.

Ghulam Qadir Bhat dead
SRINAGAR, Oct 20 — Ghulam Qadir Bhat, popularly known as "Sher-e-Ganderbal", a veteran freedom fighter and a close associate of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, died this morning after a brief illness.

Japanese film fest in J&K
JAMMU, Oct 20 — A week-long Japanese film festival, the firstever such event in the state started in Ladakh last evening.

Seven militants killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 (PTI) —Seven militants were killed in separate overnight encounters in Jammu and Kashmir while two powerful blasts rocked the Hazratbal area of Srinagar today.

In an exchange of fire between the security forces and militants, four militants were killed in the Mohadargam forests of Doda last night, the spokesman said, adding five AK assault rifles, a universal machine gun and 10 grenades were among the arms and ammunition seized from them.

He said security forces shot dead two more militants at Hari village of Surankote tehsil in the border district of Poonch last evening. A civilian, Mohammad Azam, and a security jawan were injured in the shootout.

Another militant was killed and two others were injured in separate encounters during search operations at Dooraswani-Sogam, Kanthpora-lolab, Gujjar Doorbehak-Farkian Wali Gali, Kamil-Chowkibal and Chornar-Handwara forests in the frontier district of Kupwara last night.

The injured militants in the Kupwara incident managed their escape after the encounter with the search parties who seized a big cache of arms and ammunition during the operation, the spokesman said.

Another militant killed yesterday, identified as Naseer Ahmad of Hazratbal, hurled a grenade on the police party wounding an officer before he was shot dead. A pistol, its one magazine and four rounds were seized from the deceased.

The Hazratbal area was rocked this morning by two powerful blasts triggered by militants who had planted two improvised explosive devices on Hazratbal-Habbak Fore-Shore road along the Dal Lake.

No one was injured in the explosions but a private vehicle was damaged, the spokesman said.

The security forces apprehended a militant, Farooq Ahmad Jan alias Janbaaz, from the Mangat area of Banihal in Doda district last evening, he said.

An ak assault rifle, a smoke grenade and some magazines and rounds were seized from the captured militant who was affiliated to Harkat-e-Jehad Islami.

The security forces also seized a hand grenade, one universal machine gun belt and some ration articles and blankets during combing operations in the Bobanwat Sar area of Baramulla district yesterday, the spokesman said.

More facilities for pilgrims
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20 — To provide more facilities to pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine, work on the Udhampur-Katra railway line would start soon. Besides, the work on the Dhomel-Katra road which has already been accorded the status of a national highway, would also be commencing soon.

Announcing this here on his way to the holy shrine, the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, said that proper infrastructure facilities would be provided to pilgrims so that many more would be able to visit the shrine every year.

On his first-ever visit to the Katra town after becoming the minister Professor Gupta, who was there to witness a function presented by the Song and Drama Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, at Katra during the nine-day-long Navratra festival, congratulated the division.

Speaking at the occasion, he lamented that the people of the region were forgetting their traditions and rich culture as they were fascinated by the Western culture. He stressed upon the need to adopt moral values.

He said that the drama division artistes were keeping all such traditions alive through their cultural programmes, based on folk songs, dances, dramas, national integration, communal harmony and patriotism. He said that the soap opera based on Mata Vaishno Devi which was presented by the division during the nine days of Navratra should also be shown all over the country with the objective of attracting more and more pilgrims to the shrine.

He also agreed to the demand of the people that a full-fledged centre of the song and drama division would be opened at Jammu.
A number of persons witnessed the dance drama during the Navratras. Mr Surendra Prasad, Deputy Director, Song and Drama Division, was also there to witness the soap opera, which was written by Mr M.L. Dogra, Assistant Director, Song and Drama Division Jammu. The music was given by Vijay Malla. The dialogues were written by Vijay Suri who is also the co-director of the drama.

Steps taken to check copying
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20 — With the aim to prevent copying in the board examinations in Jammu and Kashmir, Section 144, has been imposed by the District Magistrates around the examination centres.

The School Education Minister, Mr Mohammad Sharief Tariq, said here today adequate steps have been taken to curb the menace of copying. The police and the CRPF had also been deployed at the examination Centres.

Vigilance squads and action groups at the districts had also been constituted. Examinations for 8th, 10th and higher secondary classes are in progress in the state.

Mr Tariq also informed that the district level committees headed by the Deputy Commissioner had been constituted to take decisions regarding change of examination centres, superintendents and supervisory staff deployed for examinations duty and action against the erring examinees on the spot. The Senior Superintendents of the Police and the Chief Executive Officers are its members.

In Jammu region alone, 9254 private candidates are appearing in the bi-annual examination of this Higher Secondary part-II. For this purpose, 166 examination centres, including 56 hyper-sensitive centres, had been set up in the region.

Tourist’s body found in Dal Lake

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 (PTI) — A tourist from Calcutta drowned in Dal Lake here today, official sources said.

The body of Shabir Hussain, who was putting up in a houseboat for the last couple of days, was fished out by the police near Nehru Park early today. He apparently drowned in the lake while going to the houseboat last night, the sources said.

The police said they suspected that Hussain, who was on a holiday in Kashmir since October 17, had committed suicide by jumping into the lake. He was supposed to leave the valley today, the sources said.

Ghulam Qadir Bhat dead

SRINAGAR, Oct 20 (UNI) — Ghulam Qadir Bhat, popularly known as "Sher-e-Ganderbal", a veteran freedom fighter and a close associate of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, died this morning after a brief illness. He was 80.

Bhat was survived by his wife, son and a daughter. Expressing shock over the death of Bhat, the Minister of Medical Education, Dr Mustafa Kamal, said the state had lost a great freedom fighter.
Bhat was one of the three MPs, who represented the state in the counry’s first Parliament.

For his pioneering role in the freedom struggle, Bhat was awarded "tamrapatra" by the Government of India.

Japanese film fest in J&K
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20 — A week-long Japanese film festival, the firstever such event in the state started in Ladakh last evening.

The Japanese Ambassador to India, Mr Hiroshi Hirabayashi, formally inaugurated the festival at the Leh auditorium.

The festival has jointly been organised by the Nangyal Institute for Research on Ladakh Art and Culture (NIRLAC), the Japan Foundation and the Film Society of India.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Hiroshi described the occasion as ushering in a new era of cultural exchange between India and Japan.

The Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Mr Thupstan Chhewang, Director, Japan Foundation Mr Tadashi Ogawa, Secretary, NIRLAC, Mr Jagmed Wangchuk Namgyal, and the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Mr N.K. Choudhary, were among those present.