M A I N   N E W S

Avalanche kills 8 Jamait ultras

Srinagar, December 16
A ‘divisional commander’ and eight other militants of the Jamait-ul-Mujahideen were buried alive in an avalanche in North Kashmir while a constable and a Congress Seva Dal worker were killed in militancy-related incidents across the valley overnight.

A Jamait spokesman told local reporters that ‘Commander’ Mohammad Ismail and the others were on a special mission when the huge avalanche struck them yesterday.

Security personnel killed a foreign militant at Sumbal in Ganderbal tehsil during a search this morning. A Kalashnikov rifle, three magazines, six grenades and 160 rounds were hauled in.

Terrorists attacked a vehicle of the Special Operations Group (SOG), Jammu and Kashmir police, at the main market in Shopian last evening. The personnel returned fire and in the shootout, Constable Manzoor Ahmad and a civilian, Mubarak Ahmad Zargar, were killed while four, including an SPO, injured.

Insurgents kidnapped and killed Seva Dal worker Abdul Khaliq Ganai at Kunzer village in Baramulla district last evening.

Meanwhile, the police detected and defused 28 IEDs, planted by militants in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts, since last evening, he said, adding that 18 IEDs, weighing 22 kg, along with detonators, were seized from Flora village in Jammu last night. Two IEDs each were detected and defused in the Kalakote area and near the Line of Control at Laam in Rajouri district.

In another incident, the Army confronted a group of LeT militants at Naninara-Sumbal in Baramulla last night and in the ensuing gunbattle, a militant was killed and an AK assault rifle, five grenades, one UBGL and some ammunition were seized from him, he said.

The four militants killed in an encounter with the Army in the Krankshivan area of Sopore in Baramulla yesterday were identified as Mohammad Zubair, alias Amir, Ahmed Zubair, alias Abu Osama, Abu Hamza, alias Abdullah, and Abdul Aabid, all residents of Pakistan.

Two teenaged girls and an Army jawan were killed and two Army personnel, including an officer, were injured in the encounter.

JAMMU: A high-level meeting of police officials here has reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Parliament, an official spokesman said today.

Director-General of Police Ashok Suri took stock of the security measures and anti-militancy operations in the state in the wake of Thursday’s suicide attack on Parliament at the meeting held last evening, he said. UNI, PTI

Bid to storm BSF camp, 4 militants shot
Tribune News Service and UNI

Jammu, December 16
Four militants were killed when they tried to storm a BSF camp, in Tral, 30 km south of Srinagar, today.

Official reports said a group of four fidayeen belonging to the Lashkar-i-Toiba attacked a BSF camp in Tral with guns and grenades. But before they could inflict damage the BSF guards opened fire killing all four terrorists on the spot. In the exchange of fire one BSF jawan was injured.

The BSF and the police authorities have lauded the steps taken by the BSF in eliminating the four fidayeen. It is believed that out of the four cars stolen in Srinagar one was used by the fidayeen for attacking the BSF camp.

Two infiltrators, including an “area commander” of the Lashkar-i-Toiba, were shot dead in a raging gunbattle near the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district this morning.

Army sources said soldiers manning the LoC saw some persons trying to sneak into the Indian side at 9 a.m. When challenged, they opened fire and in the ensuing encounter two terrorists were killed.

One of the slain militants was identified as Wasim Kashmiri, who was “area commander”, while the identity of the other was yet to be undetermined.

The encounter was in progress when reports last came in.

Troops seized a pistol, six rounds, and tin container with 5 kg of explosives and some incriminating documents from the site.