6 militants among 9 killed in J&K
SRINAGAR, Nov 16 — Nine persons, including six militants and two security personnel, were killed in separate incidents while a major tragedy was averted with the timely detection of a powerful landmine in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

Farooq to ask for more forces
JAMMU, Nov 16 — Senior state government functionaries, including the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, have reached Delhi to take part in the high-level meeting convened by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, tomorrow to finalise a strategy for tackling the grim post-Kargil security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

BSF, Pak Rangers to meet in Lahore
JAMMU, Nov 16 — Personnel of the Border Security Force and the Pakistani Rangers will meet in Lahore on November 18 to help de-escalate border tension and discuss issues relating to smuggling along the International Border, the Inspector General BSF, Jammu frontier, Mr U.C.Chabbra, said here today.

Special meeting on J & K today
NEW DELHI, Nov 16 — A special meeting to review the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir will take place here tomorrow, the first since the advent of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

Militants escape after encounter
KATHUA, Nov 16 — Five militants were spotted last night in the Dunga forests in the Ramkot area on the border of Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur districts.

6 militants among 9 killed in J&K

SRINAGAR, Nov 16 (PTI) — Nine persons, including six militants and two security personnel, were killed in separate incidents while a major tragedy was averted with the timely detection of a powerful landmine in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening.

The landmine, planted on the main road at Tulmullah in the Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar, was noticed by security forces last night and immediately neutralised by experts of the bomb disposal squad, an official spokesman said here today.

The mine had apparently been targeted by militants to hit a moving security vehicle, he said.

Three foreign militants associated with the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba outfit were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces at Gambir Mugilan in Rajouri distirct in Jammu last night, the spokesman said.

Two of the deceased militants were identified as Abu Burhan and Mansoor Bhai.

A civilian, Mohammad Akber, was injured in the exchange of fire and was hospitalised. Three AK assault rifles and some ammunition were seized from the slain ultras.

Another foreign militant identified as Azhar Sajad of Lahore was killed by security forces at Duraswani in the Lolab area of Kupwara district last night.

A security jawan also laid down his life and another was injured in the encounter which yielded two AK assault rifles and four grenades.

Security forces also killed two militants — Mohammad Sultan Ganai alias Shahbaz Haqani of the Al-Bader outfit and a foreigner — in another operation in Kupwara yesterday.

A security jawan was killed and a civilian, Abdul Rashid, injured in a shootout between militants and security forces at Handwara in Kupwara district early today.

The shootout followed a militant attack on an army camp in the area. The deceased jawan was identified as Ram Nandan.

A woman, Samina Begam, was killed in a powerful explosion at Maheen-Dara in Doda district.

Unidentified militants intruded into the office of a petrol pump at Shopian in Anantnag district last night and decamped with Rs 60,000.

Farooq to ask for more forces
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 16 — Senior state government functionaries, including the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, have reached Delhi to take part in the high-level meeting convened by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, tomorrow to finalise a strategy for tackling the grim post-Kargil security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Director-General of Police is said to have sent a detailed report to the Centre listing demands which needed to be met for tightening security cover against the militants.

Mr Jagat has visited Delhi a number of times to persuade the authorities concerned to send forces and equip special police officers and members of the village defence committees with better weapons.

Not much has been done by the Centre during the past four months. The result is that after four years the militants seen to have the upper hand.

In the background of this development, tomorrow’s meeting in Delhi assumes much importance. The state authorities have decided to renew their request for additional forces, better weapons and additional funds to cover the gaps in the security bandobast.

The state government has decided to explain to the Home Minister that there is a need for establishing at least 1,000 security pickets in different areas of the state where militants have resurfaced. In additon to this, there is a need for deploying additonal forces at vital government installations, including bus stands, railway stations and the rail track between Jammu and Pathankot.

Senior state government authorities have suggested to the Centre that priority be accorded to checking infiltration from across the border as the Pakistan agencies have begun using the international border from Akhnoor to Kathua for trans-border arms smuggling and infiltration. Also, there is a need for carrying out multi-pronged operations against the militants camping in hilly areas before they could enter into inhabited areas after the melting of snow.

BSF, Pak Rangers to meet in Lahore

JAMMU, Nov 16 (PTI) — Personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistani Rangers will meet in Lahore on November 18 to help de-escalate border tension and discuss issues relating to smuggling along the International Border (IB), the Inspector General (IG) BSF, Jammu frontier, Mr U.C.Chabbra, said here today.

"The IG-level conference will start on November 18 and conclude on November 21, he informed.

He said the conference, being organised after a year, would be helpful in de-escalating border tension, particularly in the Jammu sector where firing from across the border was a regular feature.

Besides this, other issues like halt of trans-border smuggling of arms, weaponery and narcotics, straying of cattle and border cultivation would also figure in the discussions.

Special meeting on J & K today
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 16 — A special meeting to review the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir will take place here tomorrow, the first since the advent of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

Concerned over the recent developments in the state, including the increase in militant attacks on security forces encampments and related activities, the Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani, has called for a review meeting.

It may be recalled that after the BJP-led coalition assumed office in March, the Home Minister had called a similar meeting after which he announced that security forces would follow a "pro-active policy" in dealing with militancy in the state.

However, apart from the recent attack on an Army camp in Srinagar which resulted in loss of many lives, including that of a Major, the blast in Puja express is also being viewed as a lapse in the security set-up.

The meeting is expected to consider the chinks in the security cover in the state and also review the existing unified command set-up and coordination between the Army, central police forces and the state police.

Apart from the Union Home Minister, the meeting would be attended by the Defence Minister Mr George Fernandes, the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, the Planning Commission Chairman, Mr K C Pant, the J and K Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and chiefs of central police forces.

Militants escape after encounter
From Our Correspondent

KATHUA, Nov 16 — Five militants were spotted last night in the Dunga forests in the Ramkot area on the border of Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur districts.

The militants managed to escape after a fierce gun-battle with the police and security forces. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition was seized from the scene of the encounter.

The Jammu-Kathua range DIG told mediapersons, a police party launched a search operation in the Dunga forests following a tip-off regarding the presence of top militants in the area.

The militants were spotted moving in the forest area and were challenged. The firing continued throughout the night. In the morning, the Army was also called to assist the police. However, the militants managed to escape leaving behind a large quantity of arms and explosives.