8 killed; five hurt in blast
SRINAGAR, Nov 18 — At least eight persons, including three militants, one of them a top militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, were killed and over 12 injured in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Five ISI agents held
JAMMU, Nov 18 — Five agents of the Inter-Service Intelligence of Pakistan were arrested and a module of the ISI was discovered during a monthlong operation in Kathua district of Jammu, a police spokesman said here today.

34 Bangladeshis held by BSF
JAMMU, Nov 18 — Thirty-four Bangla nationals were arrested from forward areas along the international border in R.S. Pura, Samba and Hiranagar areas of Jammu frontier since last evening, BSF sources said here today.

Congress workers court arrest
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 18 — Congress leaders and workers today courted arrest when they were prevented from marching to the civil secretariat to register their protest against "misgovernance" on the part of the National Conference which has resulted in power and drinking water shortage in the state.

The Pradesh Congress Committee headed by Mr Mohamad Aslam organised a massive protest rally of party workers. The protesters, raising slogans against the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, marched from the party headquarters. A few metres from the civil secretariat, the police prevented them from moving further. Some workers tried to break the police barrier. The police then swung into action and bundled scores of party workers into vans and kept them in preventive custody for several hours.

They were later let off.

Mr Ashok Sharma, MLA and Chief Whip of the party in the Assembly and Mr Raman Bhalla had organised several demonstrations against the government earlier but without support from the group headed by Mr Aslam. On a warning from the Congress high command, this group took the decision of organising anti-government demonstrations.

The Congress unit in the state, according to party sources, has been directed by the AICC leadership that it should play the role of an effective Opposition and focus the attention of the government on people's problems.

The electricity crisis, neglect of migrants and stepped-up militancy have come handy to the Congress in launching a campaign against the National Conference. The PDP led by Mufti Mohamad Sayeed has already been in the forefront of a bitter campaign against the "misrule" of the National Conference.

The state unit of the Congress is faced with the problem of dissension. Each senior leader has formed his own group within the organisation. As such the party is under threat as some disgruntled party leaders may be wooed over by either the PDP headed by the Mufti or the National Conference. The National Conference and the PDP have already won over about 12 senior Congress leaders during the past three months.

Today's Congress rally was an attempt to bring all dissident groups under one umbrella. In this connection a demand has been submitted to the party President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to reconstitute the PCC, an exercise long due after the Mufti resigned from the Congress to float the PDP.

Meanwhile, the state unit of the Janata Party headed by Mr Randeep Singh Parihar met the Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena, here today and submitted him a memorandum urging him to take notice of "maladministration, rampant corruption and escalation in militancy-related violence" for which it blamed the National Conference.

The memorandum said the politicians in power and bureaucrats were "busy safeguarding their interests, ignoring the interests of the people". The Janata Party leaders requested the Governor to recommend Central Rule and dissolution of the state Assembly.

8 killed; five hurt in blast
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 18 — At least eight persons, including three militants, one of them a top militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, were killed and over 12 injured in separate incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday. The security forces also apprehended four suspects and recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition during search operations.

Two militants and a civilian were among five persons killed in a fierce encounter at Galwanpora in Budgam district yesterday. The militants were identified as Abu Talha Hazari, alias Abu Tariq, codenamed Rashed of Pakistan, who was the "chief commander" of Lashkar-e-Toiba for central Kashmir. The identity of the other militant, a foreigner, is being ascertained, a police spokesman said here today.

The police said another militant of the outfit, Ali Mohammad Bhat, was also killed in the encounter. However, locals alleged that Ali Mohammad was a civilian and a local resident.

The spokesman said two SOG personnel were killed and another injured when militants opened fire on them in Gelwanpora locality yesterday. A police party assisted by BSF personnel reached the site on the receipt of specific information about the presence of the militants in the house. The house was completely damaged in the encounter that ensued.

A rifle, two magazines, two wireless sets, two rocket launchers and a some cash was recovered from the site. A well-fortified underground hideout with a capacity for 10 to 12 persons was discovered. The house was being used by the militants as a regular hideout, a police spokesman stated.

He said Abu Talha was an important militant who had been active in the valley for the past five years. After he sneaked into the valley, he was operating in Kupwara. He was made the Lashkar-e-Toiba chief of central Kashmir with headquarters in the upper reaches of district Budgam later.

A militant identified as Abu Jeelani was killed in an encounter at Mandi in Poonch district. A rifle, a rocket launcher and two hand grenades were recovered from the site.

A woman identified as Dilshada, was killed and four injured when militants hurled a grenade at a security picket at Hawal here last evening. The grenade missed the target and exploded on the road, injuring five persons. Dilshada succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

A policeman was killed and a jawan injured in an encounter at Wai-Thana Chatroo in Doda district.

Five persons were injured when militants hurled a grenade in a shop in Latti village near Udhampur this morning.

The police has apprehended four suspects in Sopore. A pistol and a grenade were recovered from them.

The bomb in the shop was kept in a bag. The injured were identified as Krishan Chand, a teacher, Kaka Ram, Chuni Lal and children Sahil Gupta and Nikhil Gupta.

Three of the injured were lifted to Jammu Hospital by a helicopter. Two were admitted to a hospital in Udhampur.

Five ISI agents held

JAMMU, Nov 18 (PTI) — Five agents of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan were arrested and a module of the ISI was discovered during a monthlong operation in Kathua district of Jammu, a police spokesman said here today. The ISI module was unearthed following the arrest of Mohammad Aziz of Lahore from the house of Chuni Lal, a forest guard, in the border village of Jasath in Kathua, the police said.During interrogation, Aziz revealed he had been sent by Abdul Subhan of the ISI for leading a team connected to espionage and subversive activities in North India.

Aziz had come to India with a transistor bomb which had delivered to ISI agent Liaquat Ali of Delhi, he said. After delivering the bomb, the agent went to the Hiranagar border area to record deployment of forces on the border and also to re-activate ISI contacts on this side, he said.

Further interrogation of Aziz led to the arrest of guides Hem Karan and Sudesh Nathu Ram Sukhral a police party by a police party led by the Deputy SP, Mr S S Jamwal.

The kingpin of this group of ‘Indian contact’ was Prithipal Singh, alias PP, a resident of Lopoke village in Amritsar.

Several cases of murder, drug trafficking and arms smuggling are registered against Prithipal by the Punjab police and the CBI.

The authorities have sought the help of the Interpol in arresting Subhan of Pakistan, the mastermind behind the entire operation from Nepal, including rail track explosions, spying of defence details and smuggling of arms in the Jammu region.

34 Bangladeshis held by BSF

JAMMU, Nov 18 (PTI) — Thirty-four Bangla nationals were arrested from forward areas along the international border in R.S. Pura, Samba and Hiranagar areas of Jammu frontier since last evening, BSF sources said here today.

Thirty Bangla nationals were arrested by the BSF near a forward border out post (BOP) in Suchetgarh near the international border in R.S. Pura while they were trying to cross over to Pakistan, the sources said.

In Mawa area of Samba, two more Bangladeshis were apprehended by BSF personnel near the border. The other two were caught near Chak village in Hiranagar by the villagers.

Nothing incriminating was recovered from them. All of them were later handed over to the police after interrogation.

Meanwhile, the BSF and Pakistani Rangers exchanged firing along the border at 19 different BOPs, including Sangral, Jabowal, Nikowal, Pindi, Suchetgarh, Abdullian, Sai, S.H. Way, S.M. Pura, Nanga, Mehta Post, Gharana, Pittal, Chak Faquira, Chak Fagwari, Devi Garh, Zero Point, Chapriya and Londi till early this morning.

There was no loss of life or damage to property in the firing.