Militants attack 2 police stations
SRINAGAR, Oct 2 — Militants attacked two police stations, while three persons, two of them militants, were killed and another person injured in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said.

Troops smash Pak bunkers
JAMMU, Oct 2 — Following unprovoked shelling resorted to by Pak troops in the Keran sector yesterday and in a bid to foil supporters of the JKLF led by Amanullah Khan to cross the Line of Control, the Indian defence forces today launched a major offensive by pounding several military bases across Uri, Keran, Karnah and Poonch.

• No move to call off march : JKLF

APHC threat to launch stir
SRINAGAR, Oct 2 — The All-Party Hurriyat Conference has threatened to launch an agitation against the "excesses" after the Anantnag parliamentary poll scheduled for October 4.

Renegade militants create confusion
JAMMU, Oct 2 — Till 1996 Abdul Rashid War was the district commander of the dreaded militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen. He remained a terror in the Sopore-Baramula belt where he used to sign death warrants against those who would work against the movement for the liberation of Kashmir.

Militants attack 2 police stations

SRINAGAR, Oct 2 (PTI) — Militants attacked two police stations, while three persons, two of them militants, were killed and another person injured in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since last evening, an official spokesman said.

The security forces averted a tragedy with timely detection of two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and arrested five suspected ultras in the valley during the period.

Panic gripped the Soura area on the outskirts of Srinagar when militants fired two rifle grenades inside the local police station today.

The grenades exploded in the police station complex but no one was hurt, official sources said, adding the police retaliated to the attack.

In another incident, militants also fired at Patan police station in Baramulla district last night which was returned by the police.

The spokesman said a foreign mercenary was shot dead by militants in an encounter at Kadi Behak in the Kalaroos area of frontier district of Kupwara last night.

The security forces also killed an unidentified militant at Kandi Dhok Maduwala in Pir Panjal ranges of Rajouri last night, he said. Body of an unidentified person was fished out from the Dal lake near Nishat on the outskirts of Srinagar today.

Militants shot at and wounded Farooq Hussain inside his house at Targain Budhal in Poonch district last night.

JAMMU: Five persons, including two militants were killed in different militancy-related incidents in Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division since Friday evening, official reports said here on Saturday.

Troops killed one militant at Nill village in Budhal tehsil of Rajouri district on Friday and seized one AK-type rifle, two grenades and some ammunition and explosives from him, the reports said.

In another incident, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans killed one militant and injured another following an encounter with them at the Dharvi area of Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district during the period.

One CRPF jawan, who also received bullet injuries during the encounter, was admitted to a hospital at Kishtwar, the reports said, adding the search of the encounter site led to the seizure of one AK-rifle along with five magazines, 171 rounds, two handgrenades and one wireless set.

Militants kidnapped one person from the Chawana area of Poonch on Friday and later killed him on the outskirts of his village.

Another person of the Sangla area of Poonch district was beaten to death by militants. The Army, during search operation, recovered one headless body wrapped in a gunny bag in the same area on Friday, the reports said.

Troops smash Pak bunkers
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 2 — Following unprovoked shelling resorted to by Pak troops in the Keran sector yesterday and in a bid to foil supporters of the JKLF led by Amanullah Khan to cross the Line of Control, the Indian defence forces today launched a major offensive by pounding several military bases across Uri, Keran, Karnah and Poonch.

State government sources said using long-range guns the Indian troops shelled several areas across Uri, Keran and Karnah to convey to the Pak troops that in case they did not stop the JKLF supporters in their attempt to cross the LoC they would be dealt with heavy hand.

The sources said that a large number of Pak bunkers were smashed in the Indian retaliatory artillery and mortar shelling. The Indian defence forces have been directed to take strict steps for foiling the proposed plan of JKLF supporters to cross the Line of Control.

The state government had agreed to police parties led by senior officers in areas close to the border in Uri, Keran, Kupwara and Poonch so that in case some JKLF activists managed to give the slip to the Indian troops they could be arrested and handed over to the police.

Under a new strategy attempt would be made to arrest the JKLF activists once they intruded into the Indian territory so that they could be shown to the world as yet another instance in support of India's contention that Pakistan did not bother to maintain the sanctity of the LoC.

The sources described the Indian retaliatory fire as a "psychological war" with the purpose of conveying to Pakistan that "we mean business" if the JKLF marchers were not prevented from reaching the border. These measures were called for in the wake of confusing signals from across the border which indicated that Pakistani troops were not prepared to intervene and halt the JKLF activists.

No doubt the Pak authorities have ordered a crackdown on the JKLF activists. Hundreds of them, including its chief Amanullah Khan, have gone underground. In the context of this development the Indian troops stepped up vigilance all along the border as they had no trust in the earlier statement of the JKLF that its supporters would across the LoC from across Uri and Poonch.

Reports from across the border have revealed that certain JKLF activists have gone into hiding in several places between Rawalakot and Murree across Poonch and Uri. As such the Indian retaliatory fire on Pak army bases is treated as a clear warning to Pakistan that in case the JKLF marchers were allowed to reach the border and attempted to cross the LoC Islamabad would be held responsible for consequences that flowed from the Indian action.

Meanwhile, in Srinagar and other towns people seem to keep their fingers crossed as they fear a major border row in case the JKLF activists were not prevented by Pak troops from marching to the LoC. The proposed march by the JKLF activists has heightened the border tension on this side of Uri, Kupwara, Keran, Karnah, Poonch and Rajouri. The border people had been passing tense days since the rise of the armed conflict in Kargil. Though peace has returned to Kargil intermittent but heavy Pak firing in several sectors on this side of the LoC and the international boarder in Jammu sector has prevented more than 70,000 border migrants to return to their ancestral villages.

Reports said India took a firm stand on the proposed JKLF march as it had received reports that several groups of militants would be pushed into the state along with the front marchers.

No move to call off march : JKLF
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) (Amanullah Khan group) has threatened to go ahead with its plan to cross over the "ceasefire line" or LoC along Uri and Poonch sectors in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

The threat was renewed by JKLF leader Bashir Yasir, alias Hyder Hijazi, while addressing a press conference here today. He held that there was no move to call off the planned march under pressure from various quarters. Hyder Hijazi held the JKLF did not recognise the LoC and the entire Jammu and Kashmir was an "indivisible entity". He hailed the stand taken by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah and Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh.

This is for the first time that Hyder Hijazi, a Pakistan-based JKLF leader, appeared here after his announcement in New Delhi on September 13 about the JKLF plan to cross the LoC. The Kashmiri leader had settled in Pakistan in 1989 after joining the JKLF.The JKLF was divided in two separate groups in 1994 after Mohammad Yaseen Malik announced a unilateral ceasefire. He was expelled by Amanullah Khan and headed a separate JKLF in Kashmir since then. Another group of the JKLF was headed by Shabir Siddiquee associated with Amanullah Khan. The group was later eliminated when top brass of the group, including Shabir Siddiquee, were killed in an encounter with the security forces near the Hazratbal shrine.

The planned move to cross over the LoC is to express JKLF resentment over the move to convert it into an international border between India and Pakistan. The JKLF had on February 11, 1992, also planned to cross the LoC in Uri sector when thousands of its supporters converged in the area in PoK. Several protesters were killed when the police attempted to stop them in PoK.

Meanwhile, JKLF chief Amanullah Khan has sought to solve the Kashmir issue "peacefully, cordially, equitably and permanently". In a joint open letter to journalists, intellectuals, politicians and the Governments of India and Pakistan and both parts of Jammu and Kashmir, he has constituted a "formula" to seek an

Nana shoots in Kupwara
From Kavita Bhargava

JAMMU: "Hum Himalaya ke putra hain, hum hain naujawan; humko pyari yeh dharti, pyara Hindustan.... "Hundreds of Army jawans singing this song at different places in Kashmir valley — Matayan, Dras, Kargil and Kupwara — paying their obeisance to India.

This is one of the latest promos which has been produced in the post-Kargil period with the objective to attract more and more people to join the Indian Army and also to depict the glory of the country and also the men who guard our frontiers. But this promo is definitely different from the other previous ones.

This particular one has star-value added to it. Nana Patekar is the person who has lended star value to this seven-minute-long song which has been produced by Sanjay B. Bhat, a freelance producer from Baroda for the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

Nana Patekar was in Kashmir for about a month recently encouraging the Army jawans posted in far-off places and boosting their morale. It was there when he agreed to shoot for this song on the request of the director, Sanjay Bhat. The portions of the song having Nana Patekar were picturised in the picturesque locales of Kupwara in North Kashmir.

Sanjay Bhat said during the Kargil conflict when whole of the country stood united, donations poured in for the Army Welfare Funds and other such funds he also wanted to contribute something to it. Being a producer and director, he thought that the best way to pay his tribute to those who had laid down their lives for the safety of the country and even those who are fighting at the frontiers, was to make a song on these soldiers.

His proposal to make a song for the soldiers was immediately approved by the MoD and he was given the permission to shoot the song in Kashmir.

Bhat and his crew who were the guests of Army in Kashmir got every possible help from them. They were even permitted to shoot at the places like Batalik, Dras, Line of Control, Kupwara, etc with Army jawans and artillery.

"When I came to know that Nana was also in Kashmir encouraging the jawans to fight, I thought that if he would agree to work in this song, it would be too great a thing," said Bhat. Earlier he had thought of taking thespian Dilip Kumar in this song but it could not be matured. But with Nana Patekar who is already an Honorary Captain (an honour which was given to him after he underwent six months intensive training at Khadgavasla in Pune for his film "Prahaar" to lend authenticity to his character of an Army major), Bhat thought that he would be the best choice as the viewers had already seen him as an Army man.

But approaching and persuading Nana Patekar was quite difficult, thought Bhat. But when Bhat approached him through senior Army officers in Kashmir, Nana readily agreed and listened to his concept.

Rafi Hyder, cameraman, who captured the Bollywood actor for this song for two days in the militancy-infested border district of Kupwara, was surprised by the actor's understanding of the work, his dedication and most of all, his interaction with the jawans. Hugging them, cracking jokes with them and encouraging and boosting their morale — Nana was a real figure for them unlike the reel image of his. Attired in a commando uniform, recalls Hyder, Nana did full justice to this song.

The director states that the song which has been completed and edited, is lying with the MoD and as soon as it is previewed and cleared, it would be released on all major television channels in India. "This is my little contribution to my motherland," he says. This song is written by Nitin Bhat and the music has been given by Shashank Fadnis. Bhat informs that it would be released within a fortnight.

APHC threat to launch stir
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 2 — The All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has threatened to launch an agitation against the "excesses" after the Anantnag parliamentary poll scheduled for October 4.

"We are waiting for elections in Anantnag..... after that a full-fledged agitation by the Hurriyat Conference will be launched", Mohammad Yasin Malik, an executive member of the APHC, announced at a press conference here yesterday. The press conference, held at Mirwaiz Manzil, the main office of the Awami Action Committee of Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq was addressed by Mohammad Yasin Malik and Maulvi Umar Farooq.

The head office of the APHC at Rajbagh was almost "sealed" by the police, according to the APHC leader, Mohammad Yasin Malik.

Maulvi Umar Farooq said the government was adopting a "negative approach to the Kashmir issue" by harassing the Hurriyat leaders and members of the public. He made it clear that the APHC was a political platform, but its members were being harassed and jailed under the PSA and TADA. He claimed that the police had started another crackdown on the APHC leaders since yesterday and wondered what kind of strategy was being adopted by the government.

The Mirwaiz sought to change the negative approach of the government, adding that force and pressure on the Hurriyat leaders and people would not "solve the issue".

The two APHC leaders claimed that there was an overwhelming response to its poll boycott call, but the government managed to pressurise people in some areas to caste their votes.

Renegade militants create confusion
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 2 — Till 1996 Abdul Rashid War was the district commander of the dreaded militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen. He remained a terror in the Sopore-Baramula belt where he used to sign death warrants against those who would work against the movement for the liberation of Kashmir.

He surrendered and later became secretary of the Shiv Sena. During the past three years he was a protected person as the Shiv Sena secretary. He could have carried on like this but the recent reports received by the state government that militants had attacked the security guards of Rashid War and decamped with arms and ammunition.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Rashid War had told his security guards that they were under attack by the militants and they should escape leaving behind their arms and ammunition. They did so and just two militants came and seized all arms and ammunition.

The police became suspicious and his house was raided. Incriminating documents, including seals of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were recovered from his residence which confirmed that Rashid War had been working for Hizbul Mujahideen under police protection as Shiv Sena secretary.

Interestingly, he has been in police custody where he disclosed the place where the seized arms were recovered.

Rashid War's case is not an isolated one. Several militants continue to operate in the state in the guise of special police officers and activists of mainstream political organisations.

Police sources said a large number of rengade militants had created confusion. In several case it had been seen that the renegade militants had been indulging in extortion and issuing threats either to the cinema owners or to cable operators simply to extract money.

Eyewitness accounts said during the past one month more than 20 "dacoities" were reported only in Srinagar district. Several such "dacoities" had been committed in Baramula district.

These eyewitnesses said prior to the rise of insurgency in Kashmir, robberies would take place but the intruders used to take away valuables without using guns. Now the situation had changed and in the name of militancy many crimes continue to take place in different parts of the state.

They said the gunman usually entered the houses indicating that they were local youths The dacoities were generally committed during the night. It was intriguing as to how these gunmen moved even in civil lines areas when several security check-posts had been set up.

Official sources confirmed reports that different groups of renegade militants had been plagued by rivalry and one group was indulging in extortion and dacoities to malign the other group and vice-versa. They said after snapping their ties with pro-Pakistan militant outfits, these renegade militants had started feeling the pinch of money constraints and hence they chose to take to dacoities.

A number of persons, known to be keen watchers of the activities of foreign mercenaries, said these Pakistan and Afghan guerrillas had no hand in such dacoities. They had been directed by agencies across the border not to indulge in any type of extortion and that was the reason these mercenaries procured foodgrains and other essential commodities after making payments. There had been instances in Baramula and Kupwara districts where the foreign mercenaries had paid higher sums than the printed rates for the articles they purchased.

These developments have given birth to vested interests in Kashmir. Even the official sources are firm in their opinion that the threats issued to cable operators and video parlours have come from these vested interests who have been using letter pads of some militant outfits. These threats are issued simply to extract money from the cable operators who had earlier defied the threats. This time the threats coupled with grenade attack have worked and from today the cable operators in Srinagar have closed their establishments.