Jammu Srinagar

Christians take out peace march
SRINAGAR, Dec 24 — Kashmiri Christians held a peace march here today calling for restoration of peace in the valley on the eve of the last Christmas of this millennium.

Ultras’ attack on cops’ quarters

SRINAGAR, Dec 24 (PTI) — The police repulsed a militant attack on its family quarters in Baramula, while a self-styled battalion commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen was among six killed in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

Militants lobbed a grenade and fired on the family quarters of the police at Sopore in Baramula district last night, injuring a head constable of Jammu and Kashmir police.

The attack was repulsed by the guards of the nearby police station, who challenged the militants. The ultras escaped after a brief shootout.

A self-styled battalion commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Aijaz Ahmad Wani, alias Umar Sajad, was killed in a clash with security forces at Deunth-Achabal village in Anantnag last night.

A house was also damaged during the operation. An AK assault rifle, two magazines, 21 rounds and a wireless set were recovered.

A civilian, Amir-ud-Din, was killed and two others, including a woman, were injured when a powerful bomb aimed at a security picket exploded in Sumbal market in Baramula today.

A suspected militant was killed and 10 houses were damaged in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces at Duroo in Anantnag today.

Security forces also shot dead a foreign mercenary associated with Lashker-e-Toiba in an encounter at Kandi-Karee-Budhal in Rajouri last night.

Two suspected militants were apprehended and an AK assault rifle, a pistol, eight grenades and a wireless set were recovered from them during the period.

A former militant, Fayaz Ahmad Khan, alias Qadir Khan, working as a counter-insurgent was shot dead by ultras at Narbal in Badgam last evening.

A civilian, Sain Gujjar, was killed in a shootout between militants and security forces in the Bhader forest area of Doda district last night.

A militant surrendered before the security forces in Kupwara district last night.

Security forces smashed a militant hideout at Nagarnad in Kupwara and seized 10 grenades, 12 detonators, 10 kg of explosives, a binocular, a compass, seven remote control devices, a wireless set, 180 rounds of ammunition besides a large quantity of ration.

JAMMU: Three militants were among six persons killed in Doda and Rajouri districts in Jammu division since Thursday evening, official sources said here on Friday.

Security forces laid an ambush at Tatapani under Kalakote tehsil in Rajouri district on a tip-off that ultras had abducted two civilians and were somewhere in the vicinity.

The relatives of those abducted went to the Narsingh Pura post of the Army in Kalakote to inform them about the abduction when the security forces, mistaking them as militants, shot dead two persons and injured another person.

Two militants were shot dead while trying to sneak into the Indian side via the Kanga area in Rajouri sector.

Reports from Doda said that militants killed a civilian in the Marmat area during the period.

In a clash between special task force of the Jammu and Kashmir police and militants in Udhampur, Constable Jasbir Singh Salathia was seriously injured.

Farooq reallocates portfolios

JAMMU, Dec 24 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has allocated and re-allocated portfolios among four ministers, an official spokesman said here tonight.

While Housing and Urban Development Minister Mohhidin Shah will also hold the charge of Science and Technology Department, Social Welfare Minister Bashir Ahmed Kitchloo will also look after the Haj and Auquaf portfolio.

Minister of State for Works Agha Syed Mehmood, will now be Minister of State for Social Welfare, while Ms Sakina Itoo will be Minister of State for Works.

The spokesman said the Chief Minister ordered the allocation and re-allocation of portfolios yesterday before his departure for Jeddah for performing 'umra' at Mecca, but an official announcement was made by Chief Secretary Ashok Kumar tonight.

Earlier, Dr Abdullah had dropped seven ministers and re-allocated portfolios of the remaining 21 in a Cabinet reshuffle on December 13.

Christians take out peace march
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 24 — Kashmiri Christians held a peace march here today calling for restoration of peace in the valley on the eve of the last Christmas of this millennium.

The procession was led by Pastor Paul Augustine, priest in charge of the Al-Masihee Jamaat (Party) of Kashmiri Christians. Christian youths and children chanted hymns led by Richard Lesle dressed as Santa Claus as the procession passed from Batawara to Lal Chowk and culminated at Sonawar.

Santa Claus distributed sweets and candies to security personnel and passers-by. The marchers were carrying placards which read: "Al Masihee Jamat wishes you a Merry Christmas and prosperous 2000.

This is for the first time that Kashmiri Christians held a peace march since militancy broke out in the valley. More than 600 Christian families are living in Anantnag, Baramula and Srinagar towns.

"We are marching for peace and pray to God to restore peace and normalcy in this trouble-torn part of the world" Pastor Augustine said. "We have been living here since ages in absolute harmony and brotherhood with other communities," he added. He lamented about the killings and sufferings of the people in Kashmir.

"On the eve of Christmas we want to share our happiness with the suffering Kashmiris," said Richard Lesle, attired as Santa Claus. "We have been living here through thick and thin. We want to celebrate the last Christmas of the millennium with Muslim Kashmiris and pray peace will prevail in the valley," Mrs Joy Mason, Secretary of the Al-Masihee Jamaat said.

The march started from New Colony Batwara and passed through the Srinagar-Jammu national highway along Badamibagh cantonment, Sonawar, Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), Residency Road, Lal Chowk and ended at Sonawar with a prayer.

"O God we pray to you for peace in Kashmir. In the past 10 years Kashmir has witnessed a lot of bloodshed and troubled, God please shower blessings on the valley on this auspicious occasion of the Christmas ... Amen," Pastor Augustine said at the head of a joint prayer near the TRC.

The violence in Kashmir forced many Kashmiris, including Hindus and Muslims, to flee the valley since 1990, but a small section of the Christian population stayed back.

According to official estimates, 3,880 Kashmiri Pandit families and 2,303 Muslim families have migrated from the valley to different parts of the country since 1880.