Militants campaign against poll
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 31 — Separatist organisations, especially the United Jehad Council, have launched a sustained campaign urging people in the Kashmir valley and in parts of Doda, Rajouri and Poonch to boycott polling.

In several areas of the valley and parts of the Jammu region militants, have launched a door-to-door campaign for ensuring "total response" to their call for a poll boycott. A senior leader of the Hurriyat Conference said that "we are determined to show to the world that people in Kashmir are not for elections but for the right of self-determination."

The state government experienced the power of militants in the Chief Minister’s Ganderbal Assembly segment of Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency where Dr Farooq Abdullah had to cut short a pre-poll rally yesterday as hardly anyone turned up.

When the angry Chief Minister probed the matter it was found that militants had moved from village to village warning residents that anyone found moving out of his or her residence would be killed. Rural residents of the area are even directed not to work in their paddy fields.

Dr Abdullah was, however, greeted by a large crowd in the adjoining Kangan assembly segment because of the personal intervention of the Social Welfare Minister, Mian Altaf, a prominent Gujjar leader. But even here the Chief Minister was thrown off by the fact that the rally was attended only by Gujjars.

But the militants have not been able to scare people of other areas and the Chief Minister has been attracting crowds in several areas, especially in Budgam district. He headed a big public procession in Chadoora and Nowgaam areas today.

The Hurriyat leader, when reminded of public participation in pre-poll rallies smiled and said "it is part of our strategy to catch the government napping." He said that if the security forces did not intervene and force voters to vote many areas will register less than five per cent polling, as was the case in the 1989 Lok Sabha poll.

Senior government functionaries confirmed reports that Army authorities had identified some areas, most of them in the upper reaches of Kupwara district where security forces may not be in a position to carry poll material without inviting violence.

While militants have issued threats to people of several areas of Kashmir valley, they have launched a whisper campaign in parts of Doda, Poonch and Rajouri districts that people must abstain from voting even if they attend pre-poll rallies,

Informed sources said militants have finalised a plan under which party of each constituency will be rocked by grenade and bomb explosions days before polling. Security pickets and police posts are likely to be targeted.

So far the government has given strict instructions to security forces to observe utmost restraint so that the pre-poll atmosphere is not spoiled by public demonstrations. They have also been advised to avoid forcing the electorate to cast its vote to avoid allegations of the type levelled in 1996 and 1998.

Reports said that the Chief Minister had advised his partymen, including ministers, to launch a campaign against the separatists so that people were motivated to vote.

In a series of pre-poll rallies Dr Abdullah launched a blistering attack on the Hurriyat Conference leaders and Pakistani agents saying the secessionists had been responsible for death and destruction in Kashmir. In the light of these events the ensuing poll will be a battle of nerves between the government and separatists. In the end in Kashmir, which has three constituencies, and in parts of Jammu region, who wins the election may not be as important as people’s participation in polling.

Two killed in Pak shelling

SRINAGAR, Aug 31 (PTI) — Two civilians were killed as Pakistani troops shelled Indian villages in border district of Kupwara in North Kashmir today, an official spokesman said.

The Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling on Indian positions in the Machil and Keran sectors of Kupwara since early today, he said.

Two persons, identified as Nadir Khan and Sabaz Ali Khan, were killed when a shell exploded near a security camp in Machil, the spokesman said, adding the duo were working as "informers" with security forces.

In militancy related violence, militants gunned down two persons, including a counter-insurgent and wounded four in a grenade attack in the Kashmir valley today.

The Bullet-riddled body of a counter-insurgent identified as Mohammad Rajab was recovered from Pogripora in the Sopore area of Baramula district in North Kashmir today, an official spokesman said.

He said Rajab, a surrendered militant, was kidnapped by militants two days ago from his Tujjar Sharief residence and subsequently killed.

Militants also gunned down a person, Abdul Gani, inside his house at Kreeri in the Pattan area of the same district early today, the spokesman said.

Panic gripped Tral town of Pulwama district in South Kashmir today when militants attacked a security patrol with a grenade today.

The grenade missed the target and exploded in the main chowk, injuring four persons, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, security forces foiled militants’ plan to blow up buses and army vehicles and killed two militants in the Jammu region since last night, official sources said in Jammu today.

A patrol party of the security forces noticed some object being planted by militants in the centre of the road near Gool early today. Later, the troops recovered a powerful landmine planted by militants to blow up army and BSF vehicles and passenger buses, the sources said.

Another powerful improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered by a road opening party near Ramsu on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway last evening.

The devices were defused, the sources said.

Two militants were killed by security forces in joint operations with the police in the Warwan forest area of Doda district last night. Two AK rifles, one pistol, one wireless set, four hand grenades, three magazines and an IED were recovered from them.

Oppn denied security in valley: Cong

SRINAGAR, Aug 31 (PTI) — Former Minister of State for Education and Congress nominee from Anantnag parliamentary constituency, Peerzada Mohammad Syed today charged the Jammu and Kashmir Government of denying security to Opposition candidates contesting paliamentary elections in the state.

"I am moving from village to village with no protection as the ruling party has ordered the authorities to immobilise the Opposition, especially Congress candidates, by denying security to them", the Peerzada charged at an election meeting in Pulwama.

"The state security department has become a tool in the hands of ruling National Conference as they pay no heed to repeated requests to the Opposition candidates for security," he said.

Criticising the government for adopting an "indifferent attitude" towards Opposition candidates, the Congress, in a statement issued by the party headquarter, in Srinagar warned "if any untoward incident takes place, the responsibility will be on the security department".

22 injured in accident
From Our Correspondent

KATHUA, Aug 31 — Twenty two persons were injured in a collision between two buses near Nanath village on the Kathua-Jammu national highway today. Police sources said the bus going to Kathua from Jammu collided with an Army bus going to Jammu from Leh.

The injured were shifted to Army Hospital, Samba and Jammu cantonment hospital.

The police has registered a case.