6 militants among 15 killed in J&K
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, March 15 — In a sudden spurt in violence, at least 15 persons, including six militants, were killed and eight others injured in separate incidents across the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Two constables of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and an SPO (Special Police Officer) or a counter-insurgent were shot dead by unidentified militants at a police picket in Ganderbal, 25 km from here, during last night. The two constables have been identified as Mohammad Yousuf and Nazir Ahmad, while the SPO has been identified as Showkat Ahmad.

Two other constables and an SPO were injured in a shootout by the militants.

The police said militants also took away an AK rifle, an SLR and four .303 rifles from the spot. Sources confirmed that a group of more than 12 militants, attacked the police lines premises at Ganderbal and took away the weapons of six personnel on duty, of whom three were killed and three others were injured. Senior police officers today visited the police lines and took stock of the situation.

Two militants, including a battalion commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed in an encounter with a joint operations group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the security forces at Bona Dyalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. They have been identified as Sajjad Ahmad Bhat (battalion commander) and Mukhtar Ahmad Parray. Two AK rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter. The police said the militants opened fire on the search party, whereupon it retaliated. The two militants were killed in the encounter that ensued.

The death toll in yesterday's encounter between the militants and the security forces at Khiram, Beijbehara in Anantnag district has gone up to 10. As already reported, two militants were killed in the encounter yesterday. Reports said four more militants were killed in the encounter. Two civilians — Mohammad Yaqoob Gujjar and Mohammad Iqbal Khan — and two jawans of the security forces were also killed in the encounter. Three jawans of the security forces were injured in the day-long encounter.

The militants shot dead two persons in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. Nazir Ahmad Rather, owner of a chemist shop at Sirhama in the Beijbehara area, was kidnapped and shot dead by the militants. Militants also shot dead Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, a militant who had surrendered, in a separate incident.

Unidentified militants kidnapped two persons from Watapora village in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district of North Kashmir. The police said the militants entered the house of Mohammad Ismail Lone and kidnapped him and his guest.

A surrendered militant and a police constable were shot at and injured here. They have been admitted to a hospital. Farooq Ahmad alias Donu, a surrendered militant, was shot at by the militants while a police constable was shot at and injured at the bus stand at Batamaloo.

Suspected militants hurled a grenade at a picket of the security forces at New Colony, Batamaloo, here this afternoon. However, no damage was caused. The security forces immediately cordoned off the area and started a search to trace the militants.

Our Correspondent adds: The Army and the police seized what they called three flying bombs from the forest belt of Pio in the Kalakot area, 70 km north west of Jammu, on Sunday.

The police said the joint operations had been launched by the police and the Army to flush out rebels following an encounter between the rebels and the troops two days ago in which four soldiers and four insurgents were killed.

The Inspector General Police, Mr Kuldeep Khuda, said with the recovery of the flying bombs, the total number of such weapons had gone up to five.

The security forces have been directed to carry out combing operations for seizing more explosives and ammunition from the forest belts in Rajouri district.

Opposition MLAs stage walkout
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 15 — Opposition members belonging to the BJP, the Congress and the Janata Dal today walked out from the Assembly in protest against the failure of the Government to issue pass books to the farmers which were complete in all respects.

The question was tabled by the Congress member, Mr Lal Singh who after the Minister for Revenue, Ali Mohammad Naik's reply, displayed pass books which had been issued without Tatima Sajra. There were more protests from other opposition members.

Mr Naik informed the House that pass books had been issued in favour of over 66,000 farmers and there was requirement of issuance of pass books to 10 lakh farmers. He said that since the land record was 80-year-old there were some missing spaces and he had directed the field staff to complete the land record and issue the pass books to the farmers on the spot.

The opposition members were dissatisfied with the reply and Mr Lal Singh while handing over a copy of the pass book to the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ghulam Haider Malik, who was in the chair, continued to argue with him from the well of the House. The opposition members started shouting slogans while staging a walkout. At this a couple of National Conference members attempted to boo the protesters but the Leader of the House, Dr Farooq Abdullah, immediately directed his party members to remain in their seats.

Earlier Mr Lal Singh and Mr Harsh Dev Singh (Panthers Party), staged a walkout in protest against the refusal of the Government to include some communities in the backward classes. The Revenue Minister, Mr Ali Mohammad Naik gave a list of those tribes and communities that had been declared as backward classes. He said if there was need for including more tribes in the backward class category a proper procedure had to be followed. Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, intervened to inform the House that the state Government had taken up with the Centre the need for granting Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe status to more communities.

The Minister for Roads and Bridges, Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah, informed the House during the question hour that the state Government had decided to hand over the construction of the Mughal Road, which would serve as an alternative road route to link Jammu with Srinagar, to the Beacons. To a question tabled by Ms Mehbooba Mufti (Congress) and four other National Conference members Mr Shah said that the work on the Mughal road had been taken in hand in 1983. The delay in completing the prestigious project was the result of paucity of funds, suspension of work in 1984 during non-NC Government and owing to militancy. He said that the Government had approached the Centre for financial assistance and it had asked the state Government to submit a detailed project project.

He said that it had been decided to hand over the project to the Beacons and both the state and the central governments will spend funds equally.

The Chief Minister intervened to inform the House that the project had been conceived during the time of Sheikh Abdullah. Later the then Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi had okayed the project and had announced a massive financial assistance from the Centre. However, the project could not be taken in hand by the Centre when the Defence Ministry raised objections. He said that there were two other alternative routes, which could link Srinagar with Jammu, under the consideration of the Government. One was the road that would link Paddar with Kishtwar and touch the south Kashmir via Simpthon Pass. Another was Doda-Desa-Karpan and Kashmir road.

Dr Abdullah said that once the Swalakot hydel project was cleared by the Centre and work was started on it, it could lead to the development of another road, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, from Udhampur to Panchari and then to Banihal. He said an alternative road linking Drass with Kargil was being constructed and once this road was complete it would not fall within the firing range of Pakistani gunners.

To a call-attention motion tabled by Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari of the National Conference the Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, said that with the induction of additional companies of the troops in Rajouri area to tackle militancy the security forces had to be lodged in Thanamandi Fort where the Muslim Education Trust Institute had been functioning. Since the Government to accommodate the troops at a suitable place the institute authorities were asked to vacate the premises belonging to the Government. He assured the House that whenever the situation improved the troops would be withdrawn from the Fort.

To another call-attention motion tabled by Mr Bubarik Gul (NC) the Minister for Food Supplies said that three committee had been constituted to keep an eye on the price level of essential commodities. He said that departmental squads had been asked to take action against profiteers. He explained that since most of the consumer items were imported the price was determined by the producing states.