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All 3
terrorists shot dead after about 4 hour long gun-fight Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: Atleast 30 persons including army personnel, their family members and seven passengers of a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus were killed and 48 others were injured in the worst ever attack by three ‘fidayeens’ (suicide squads) inside the army quarters at Kalu- chak, about 10 kms from here on Jammu-Pathankote national highway this morning. All three fidayeens, who were wearing army uniforms and were suspected to be the Pakistanis, were shot dead by the troops sent-in to the spot from Kalu Chak Cantonment. Death toll could go up as condition of many of the injured was stated to be critical in the Military Hospital, Satwari, where they were admitted after the attack. Injured had sustained bullet and splinter injuries and included mostly women and children of army personnel’s families, putting up in the quarters that were targeted by the terrorists. The ‘fidayeen’ didn’t spare even the children, who were asleep in their quarters. A two month child was shot dead in his sleep while another child, who was attending the nature’s call, was gunned down in the bath-room. A 10-year old girl, getting ready for the school, was shot in front of a dressing table. A total of 23 persons including three army jawans two of whom were Havildars and rest their family members (women and children) were killed and 47 others were injured inside the quarters while seven persons were killed and another was injured inside the HRTC bus. Of 48 injured, condition of seven was serious. They were being operated upon in the Military Hospital, Udhampur when the reports last came in. Of seven persons killed in the bus, four belonged to Himachal Pardesh and three others to Jammu region. A man and his daughter from Himachal were among the fatalities. Official sources and witnesses told EXCELSIOR that three terrorists in combat dresses boarded a passenger bus of HRTC bearing registration No. 1032 HR34 that was on way from Manali to Jammu between Samba and Vijaypur at about 0500 hours. All of them were carrying three carry bags with them which contained AK-47 rifles, grenades and explosives devices. The bus driver and passengers, numbering about 40, didn’t doubt the terrorists as they believed them to be the armymen. As soon as the bus crossed Kaluchak bridge, two terrorists went to the rear door and another ultra took position at the second door. One of them lobbed a grenade near driver’s seat while his associate started indiscriminate firing on the bus passengers with his AK-47 rifle. Realising that uniformed men were the terrorists, the passengers started running out of the bus leaving behind their luggage. While most of them managed to escape, seven of them including driver of the bus and two women were killed on spot and another passenger sustained minor injuries. Thereafter, the terrorists moved towards the quarters of army personnel of 196 Field Unit (part of 26 Artillery Brigade of Tiger Division), located just 20 yards short of Kaluchak bridge. As the terrorists fired indiscriminately, a Sentry Naik Raja, who was on guard duty at the family quarters, came into action and retaliated killing one of the fidayeen instantly. Naik Raja was also hit by two bullets and injured critically. It couldn’t be ascertained that whether the Naik survived in the hospital, where he was evacuated, or not. Two other fidayeens jumped a wall of the quarters and entered inside. As there was no presence of armed army personnel in the family quarters, the two fidayeens moved from one quarter to another resorting to indiscriminate firing from their AK-47s and throwing grenades and explosive devices. The army soldiers, who were present in their quarters, didn’t have the weapons to retaliate. Many of them fell to the bullets of the terrorists alongwith their families while several others were critically wounded. Witnesses told a visiting EXCELSIOR correspondent that the terrorists directly fired on the children and women, sleeping or working in the houses and those who were running for a cover after hearing the sound of gun shots, killing and injuring them. SSP Jammu Farooq Khan and SP City (South) Jammu Raghubir Singh were the first to reach the spot in civil dresses within 15 minutes of the firing and started co-ordinating the search and rescue operations with army. Senior officers of army including Maj Gen Mohan Pandey and Director General of Police (DGP) A K Suri also reached the spot. Ambulances of army, police and civil hospitals were immediately pressed into services. A child was shot dead in the bath-room, where he was easing himself while a two month infant was gunned down in his sleep on a bed. A woman running of the quarter in the melee was fired from point blank range on her head resulting into her instant death, the sources said, adding a 10 year old girl was killed in front of her dressing table while she was getting ready for school. "The scene was pathetic. The terrorists were moving from one block to another hitting the innocent and hapless women and children with bullets and splinters of the explosive devices (which they detonated). Loud cries of the women and children calling for help could be heard outside", a police officer, who was evacuating the injured from one of the block in his Gypsy, said. "Initially, we were helpless as we had reached the spot without any enforcement", the officer said, adding two police officers and two army officers Colonel Joshi and Major Koul rushed in to the quarters even without enforcement. In the meantime, army personnel from Kaluchak Cantonment and Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) also rushed to the family quarters and started a hunt to eliminate the two fidayeens. Commandos of army and police were also sent to the spot. Lt A S Pundis was reported to have shot dead one of the fidayeens outside a family quarter at 0830 hours while the second terrorist was eliminated by another army soldier , whose identity couldn’t be gathered immediately, at 0945 hours. . The operation was complete by about 1000 hours, the sources said. They said a total of 23 persons, mostly women and children, were killed inside the quarters while seven others had died in the bus. Fortyeight others were injured and were undergoing treatment in the Military Hospital, Satwari. Condition of seven of them was serious. The sources said the casualties were reported from all the four blocks of the quarters as the terrorists got enough time to move from one block to another in absence of the army guards on duty. The enforcement that was rushed in had to search the terrorists in the quarters before eliminating them. A Defence official said the lack of army guards in the family quarters was due to deployment of army on the borders. "Most of our troops had moved to the border ending December last year and they are there since then", he pointed out. "It’s not a security lapse but a loophole", he asserted in response to a question by the newsmen outside the venue of shoot-out. Albeit the troops were ready to meet with eventuality of a fidayeen attack in Kaluchak Cantonment, they were not anticipating that the terrorists would make the innocent families of army personnel as their target instead of storming the adjoining Kaluchak Cantonment. "Had they (the fidayeens) ventured to enter the Cantonment they would have been eliminated within two to three minutes. But, we were caught unawares as the ultras targeted the family quarters of army", he asserted. Regarding time taken by army in eliminating two ‘fidayeens’, he said the troops wanted to ensure that only the terrorists are hit by their bullets and not the families of their own jawans. "We had to identify the spot from where the terrorists were firing and it took time as they were quickly moving from one quarter to another", he added. Two one ton vehicles of army were also damaged in the attack while a number of kerosene oil drums, stored near the quarters, caught fire. Flames were extinguishes by the Fire Brigades. Traffic on Jammu-Pathankote national highway was immediately suspended by the authorities. Some of the vehicles were diverted through Bishnah road. Traffic was restored at 1130 hours after about one and a half hours of the operation. Meanwhile, Himachal Transport Minister Krishan Kapoor, DC Kangra Parbod Saxena and SSP Kangra Sanjay Kundu besides two Works Managers of HRTC —Vijay Singh and Pawan Sharma also reached here to co-ordinate with the civil administration for taking bodies of the killed passengers of Himachal Pardesh to their native places. HRTC Works Managers were told that driver of the bus had been killed while fate of the conductor was not known. The Transport Minister announced Rs one lakh ex gratia for the Himachal citizns killed in the attack and Rs 25,000 for the injured. Meanwhile, Governor Girish Chander Saxena and Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah accompanied by other Ministers visited the Military Hospital, Satwari this evening to inquire the condition of injured. Later, they also visited Kaluchak—the site of fidayeen attack. They were shown dead bodies of three fidayeens. They also visited the army families quarters, where the terrorists had gunned down innocent women and children in the morning. Meanwhile, an all party meeting was called by the Governor at Raj Bhawan this afternoon. The meeting condemned the barbaric killings at Kaluchak. |
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Terrorists had Armed Corps badges on their uniforms Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: All three fidayeens, who were gunned down by the troops in the family quarters of army at Kaluchak after about three and a half hours gun-fighting this morning, had infiltrated into this side of the border early today and straightway boarded the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which was evident from recovery of yesterday’s tickets of a Sialkot cinema hall from their possession. Army and police sources told EXCELSIOR that in addition to two cinema hall tickets, some chocolates and dry fruit packets were also recovered from pockets of three fidayeens, who were wearing army uniforms. Three tickets of the cinema hall were recovered from pocket of a Pakistani dress of one of the terrorists, who had been killed by an army jawan at entrance of the army quarters. According to sources, all three terrorists were wearing casual Pakistani dresses, which they had concealed under the army uniforms. "Recovery of three tickets indicated that the trio stayed together yesterday also before infiltrating into Indian territory somewhere between Samba and Supwal (the two villages which had a direct route to Sialkot) in wee hours of this morning breaching ‘intensified security arrangements’ on the International Border by the security forces", the sources said. All three terrorists were wearing army dresses with the badges of Armed Corps on their shoulders. "From hair style to boots, the ‘fidayeens’ looked as army personnel. They had also displayed ranks on their uniforms to ensure that they were not doubted by the bus passengers", they said. While two terrorists had displayed the ranks of Havildar on their uniform, another terrorist had the rank of Naik. Two fidayeens were wearing name plates of Maninder Singh and Narinder Singh on their uniforms. Name plate of the third fidayeen had been damaged as he was hit by a volley of gun shots on his chest. Sources said the terrorists were reported to have worn the army uniforms after crossing the border to keep them in good look. The terrorists had crossed the border in Pakistani dresses and worn army uniforms above them. Pakistani dresses of the terrorists were filled with dirt, which too confirmed that they had freshly intruded into Indian side, they added. Chocolates and dry fruit packets, recovered from the terrorists, also had the markings of Pakistan. Initially, driver of the HRTC bus Prem Singh, who was among the dead, was reluctant to let the trio board the bus somewhere between Samba to Supwal, one of the survivors Sant Parkash told police officials. The survivor, who hailed from village Jasoor near Kullu, had no knowledge of the village where the terrorists boarded the bus. However, he confirmed that the bus had just crossed Samba town when the three signaled the bus to stop. A passenger reportedly pleaded with the bus driver to let the ‘army personnel’ board the bus as they might be heading toward their unit, he said. Sources said all three ‘fidayeens’ were well equipped with arms and explosive devices. The terrorists had tied grenades and other powerful explosive devices with their legs and arms. Besides, they had more grenades and ammunition in the carry bags, which they had brought with them from Pakistan. Casualty figure of 30 was the highest ever in any fidayeen attack in Jammu region. |
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Kaluchak incident puts
efficiency of Nakas Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: The "defunct" Nakas on National Highway (NH) right from Lakhanpur to Satwari are also the contributor to the Fidayeens’ attack on Army Camp at Kaluchak this morning. Sources in Police Department informed that there are about 15 Nakas on National Highway from Lakhanpur to Satwari where police personnel are supposed to check the vehicles round the clock. But the checking depends on the mood and whims of the police personnel. "The slackness on the part of police personnel at Mansar, Vijaypur and Swankha Nakas has helped in resulting into suicidal attack on Army Camp", the sources said, adding "none of the police personnel at these Nakas even cared to stop the Himachal Roadways bus which was boarded by the terrorists in Army uniform near Samba". Sources further said that it depended on policemen at these Nakas to check the vehicle or not and most of the times, they allow the vehicles to move without any checking. Though officially these checking points work "round the clock", yet the facts speak contrary to that. A senior Police office on the condition of anonymity said that the Himachal Roadways Bus was not checked at any of these checking points and was allowed to wheel into the State. Even the traffic police personnel rarely take interest in checking vehicles as they remain busy in "collections". The officer, however, said that it is difficult for policemen at checking points to question men in uniforms. "There is a dire need to evolve a system to check the uniformed men and only that type of system can help in keeping an eye on activities of terrorists", he said and confessed that at present there is no patrolling on National Highway. The officer further said that there should be a dress code under which, no Armyman should be allowed to board the private vehicle in the uniform. Even if he has the need to use the private bus, he should be directed to put on the civilian clothes. The suicide attack on Army Camp at Kaluchak has put a big question mark on the proper functioning of these nakas. What to talk of checking vehicles in night, even the same were not properly checked by policemen during the day time which is evident from the fact that the Himachal Roadways bus crossed four Nakas at around 5 to 5.50 am without any check |
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A nightmare at Kaluchak By Mohinder Verma JAMMU, May 14: For some of them it was the time to wake up, but were forced to sleep for ever. They were caught unawares on the morning of May 14 when the merchants of death were knocking at their door-steps. They would have not even dreamed that their end would be so barbaric and inhumane. While some of them were planning to give shape to their daily chores, the fate had, however, some other thing stored for them. While the men were busy on borders to keep an "eye" on the enemy, the monster had already sneaked to liquidate their wards. This is what happened with the family members of Army personnel, who have been deployed on Indo-Pak border, in 196 Field Unit of Tiger Division’s 26 Artillery Brigade, here. The Unit’s family quarters bore mute testimony to the blood ridden morning when sleeping children and their other family members of Army personnel were brutally gunned down by perpetrator of mayhem. The quarters wore like a mortuary of the hospital with bodies of innocent persons lying everywhere. For some bed had became the coffin while for few bathroom became morgue. From their faces, it appeared that they wanted to tell the world something.——something which everyone wanted to know. But their voices were gagged. The blood stained rooms of the quarters were depicting what horrendous had happened there. While the men in Uniform were on borders to protect the civilians of the nation, there was none to save their dear-ones. Talking to this Correspondent outside the Unit, an Army jawan, who just came out of the Camp after the encounter, on the condition of anonymity said "I never thought that one day I will have to fight for protecting the families of those, who always protect others. From which mental agony our jawans at border will pass through after they would come to know that their family member(s) were wiped out, is out of anybody guess". "Earlier, after every killing of terrorists, we felt elated. But today even after killing the terrorists, we feel dejected and ashamed. "Alas! our own families could not be saved today, even by those who protect the nation", said another Jawan, who was also the member of encounter party. He disclosed that terrorists not only fired upon the occupants of the quarters but even hurled grenades on quarters to create maximum casualties. Another Army jawan said that some of the houses were wired with explosives materials by the terrorists. "Had not the explosives removed from there immediately, it would have created more casualties", he said. Even the injured persons have to writhe in pain for sometime as the terrorists were holed up inside the quarters and injured persons could not be evacuated unless and until terrorists got killed. There was virtually eerie calm in the Unit and only sound of fire spitting guns was being heard till all the terrorists were killed by the security forces. Retired Head Master of the border village of Kotli Shah Doula in R S Pura tehsil, Bagat Ram, who lost his wife Parmeshwari Devi in the firing by the terrorists on Himachal Roadways Bus disclosed that after the terrorists made their entry inside the Army camp the passengers ran to save their lives by leaving all belongings. "I was thinking that within next few minutes I will be at Satwari to board the bus for R S Pura but suddenly Armymen, what they were looking from their dresses, opened fire and the first victim become the driver", he recalled. A local-shopkeeper said "we had a narrow escape, when terrorists also fired a grenade and a few rounds on us, as we came out of shop-cum-residence and rushed to the spot after hearing gun shots. Some labourers, who were residing just opposite the gate of family quarters said "we were brushing our teeth when we saw that a bus stopped and within minutes firing started. After the terrorists entered army camp we saw surviving passengers running here and there to save their lives". Outside the Military Hospital at Satwari, where all the bodies and injured were shifted, there were pain etched faces and near and dear ones of injured persons were waiting to enter the hospital. There were some charges from certain local people that the police reached the scene of the attack late since the armymen were engaged in a gun battle inside the quarters. |
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Pak trying to sabotage
elections: Governor Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: The Governor Mr G C Saxena has said that Pakistan aided terrorist by indulging in mindless killings in the region are trying to sabotage the coming elections but their acts would never lower the morale of the security forces and the people here. Accompanied by State Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mr Saxena who visited the carnage site at Kaluchak and hospital told media-persons at a press conference this afternoon that a clear message has gone to the entire world that perpetrators’ act was only to spread terror and indulge in killing-spree. Out of the 30 killed, most of them were innocent children and women. They even did not spare a two-month old baby. This is infact a crime against humanity and at this hour of crisis, the entire nation is behind the security forces who are at borders. Their morale is still very high and such acts of enemy can never lower their resolve and determination. The entire world community should see who are the real perpetrators of human rights. The terrorists have suffered severe blow in the recent past in Poonch and Rajouri and such acts show the gravity of frustration among them and their cadre, the Governor said. The people of the State and representatives of all the Parties have displayed the unity and their resolve to fight out terrorism unitedly. They have always maintained the high tradition of secular character and community harmony in this region. It has been proved by the parties that no one can challenge their resolve and no attack will be tolerated on their secular character, Mr Saxena further said. The Chief Minister, Dr Abdullah while making a statement on today’s incident of Fidayeen attack at Kaluchak, said that senseless killings by Pak Army and ISI backed terrorists would never bring two countries closer. On one hand the United States is trying to bring two countries closer by sending its Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca and to make assessment regarding situation along border on the other hand the Pak aided terrorists continue to indulge in mindless killings of innocent people, Dr Abdullah said. He wanted that Foreign Minister, Jaswant Singh should tell United States and our neighbour clearly that this much would not be tolerated any more now. Islamabad should also understand that its acts would never strengthen relations between the two countries and it should be ready for the consequences as well, the Chief Minister said. Responding to a question, Dr Abdullah said he himself never supported war but war is being imposed by the neighbour, who has not taken any lesson from its previous blunders and has not shown any positive response in improving relations. " It is better to die once than to die every minute", Dr Abdullah remarked adding that it will not be wise to keep Army any longer on the border and Pakistan must be taught a lesson. In this hour of grief and sorrow our sympathy is with the families who lost their dear ones in the terrorist attack and pray to God to give them strength to face the challenge posed before the nation, he maintained. India is fighting terrorism in this State for the last 13 years and now the entire world has realised the increasing impact of it. We must act together to fight this terrorism. Pak wants us to withdraw our forces from borders but we know that it will continue its nefarious designs and we will continue to fight the enemy. " We are strong enough to defend our country and our secular character, Pak must realise that he will never succeed in its designs,"Dr Abdullah added. Replying to another question, Mr Saxena said it will not be fair to connect the visit of US Assistant Secretary, Rocca with this incident. The timing of the incident may be closer to the visit of Ms Rocca but to put whole thing together will not be wise. Dr Abdullah said, " Let me clear to all of you that it was well organised act of Pakistan ISI and the Pak regime must understand that talks will never be held till it stops aiding terrorist acts in India and especially in Jammu and Kashmir." He briefed media that three terrorists in Army combat dress boarded Himachal Roadways bus near Vijaypur in Samba and started firing on the passengers when the bus reached at Kaluchak Cantonment area on the outskirts of Jammu city. They lobbed grenade on bus and then rushed towards nearby army camp. One of them rushed inside the Army family quarters, one was killed by the Sentry at the gate while another waged fight with the army inside camp. The inhumane act of these perpetrators is highly condemnable by any civilised society, he maintained. |
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‘Civilian
casualties have come down’ SRINAGAR, May 14: Ruling out the possibility of another Kargil type situation on the northern borders, Lt General V G Patankar, General Officer Commanding 15 Corps, said that troops are ready for any eventuality. "Our troops are alert and ready to meet any attempt by Pakistan to open Kargil type situation on our borders," Lt Gen Patankar told a news conference, his first after assuming office here. However, he said that there would be no repeat of Kargil like situation. The GOC said troops have been put on high alert and they were ready to face any eventuality. He said the military had reports that there were a number of militants waiting across the border to infiltrate on this side. Lt Gen Patankar said about 50 to 55 militants might have crossed over to this side from Pakistan occupied Kashmir during the first four months of this year. But, he said, "our troops are there on the border to scuttle all these attempts by Pakistan to send trained militants and arms and ammunition into our side." However, the GoC said, if some of them succeeded in sneaking into our side it would hardly have any affect on our operations against militants. "We have to remain alert as Pakistan will try to send more militants here, he said and assured that presence of any number of militants in the Valley will not affect our operations against them," he added. In reply to a question, he said there was no change on the border even after September 11 attack and declaration by Pakistan to go all out against militants in that country. Pakistan would definitely try to push militants here as the rulers there did not want to see return of normaly in the Jammu and Kashmir. About the militant camps, he said, after September 11 attack on New York and Washington, camps operating in Pakistan were temporarily closed while it was still operating in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. He said a number of training camps were operating in PoK. The GOC 15 Corps said civilian casualties have come down in Jammu and Kashmir despite heightened millitant activities in the Valley. "Casualities of civilians have come down which is a good sign. People are moving around till late in the night and are visiting picnic spots in large number which indicates change in the overall situation.", the General said He said "the overall situation in the Valley is good and is getting improved further every passing day." Lt General Patankar said there were more militant casulities during the first four months of this year as compared to last year. He, however, said, "despite that people across the globe say, the level of militancy has increased in the Kashmir Valley even after September 11 incident." He said the success of security forces was only due to full cooperation by the people who are fed up of the violence and wanted to live a peaceful life. Answering a query, the Lt. General clarified that security forces will have no role to play in conducting Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir apart from providing a congenial environment to the voters. However, he said, "if asked for, we are there to provide a secure and free atmosphere to people so that they could cast their votes." He said, "we can only provide secure environment to peaceful polling. We cannot force people to go for polling." The GOC said he has given strict instructions to troops in the field that "no indiscipline will be tolerated." "I have told troops that militants will try to provoke them by hurling grenades or opening fire, but you should exercise maximum restrain." He said, "we are not going to shield anyone and those found guilty would not be spared." He said, "we do not believe that anybody is above law and if any surrendered militant or any soldier is found violating law, he will be punished accordingly.’( AGENCIES) |
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Rocca condemns Jammu
attack NEW DELHI, May 14: Squarely blaming Pakistan for the current tension in the region, India today unequivocally conveyed to the United States that there was no question of de-escalation on the border until Islamabad meaningfully addresses New Delhi’s concerns on terrorism. We can’t hope to see the reduction of tension in the region until Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism and infiltration and acts on the list of 20 terrorists given to it for their extradition , senior Indian officials told visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca during their intensive discussions here. Ms Rocca, who reached here last night on a peace mission to South Asia, was briefed by her Indian interlocutors on how cross-border terrorism and infiltration had increased manifold during the past few months, resulting in escalation of tension and violence. Ms Rocca, who leaves here tomorrow for Islamabad, met External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Foreign Secretary Designate Kanwal Sibal, India’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan S K Lambah, Mr Jayant Prasad, Joint Secretary (America) in the External Affairs Ministry and Mr Arun K Singh, Joint Secretary (Pakistan) in the ministry. An External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said the discussions between the two sides were detailed, indepth and mutually satisfying . During the discussions, Ms Rocca is understood to have asked India to settle its current problems with Pakistan through bilateral talks and take steps to ease tension on the border. The Indian side told Ms Rocca that Pakistan was making every possible attempt to sabotage the coming Assembnly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Her attention was also drawn to various incidents of terrorist-violence in recent days, especially this morning’s suicide attack on the Jammu- Pathankot highway in which more than 30 people were killed. Ms Rocca strongly condemned this morning’s attack and said the US was determined to crush barbarism and terrorism with all its might. She was told that Pakistan would have to take necessary and substantive steps to ease tension on the border. The tension was due to the absence of dialogue and lack of response on the part of Pakistan to India’s legitimate concerns. The spokesperson said the US was fully aware of India’s concerns. The US is cognisant and understands New Delhi’s concerns , she added. The spokesperson said we have conveyed our concerns to the US in ample measure. (UNI) |
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5 terrorists, jawan killed; 3 injured Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, May 14: Five terrorist and an army jawan were killed and three other soldiers were injured in two separate encounters at Kalakote and Thanna Mandi today. Official sources said an encounter took place between a group of terrorists and security forces at village Morha Munnu in Taryath area of Kalakote tehsil this evening. A heavy exchange of firing between the two sides continued for about two hours. Till late this evening, the security personnel had eliminated five terrorists. Two terrorists managed to escape towards a forest area and were being chased by the force. Till night, the fleeing ultras hadn’t been spotted again. Identity of the slain terrorists, whose bodies had been recovered, hadn’t been established so far. Four of them were confirmed as foreign mercenaries and activists of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit, the sources said. Three AK rifles, one pistol, magazine, ammunition, one wireless set and hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site, they said, adding the security personnel didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation. Meanwhile, the terrorists ambushed an army patrol party at village Dorimal in Behrot area under Thanna Mandi police station’s jurisdiction this morning. The terrorists opened indiscriminate firing and lobbed grenade on army’s patrol party, which retaliated. One army jawan was killed and three others were injured in ambush while the terrorists managed to escape. Deceased jawan has been identified as Sepoy Ritish and the injured as Subedar Manmohan, Sepoy Prem Dhawan and Sepoy Karia Swami. Injured jawan have been hospitalized. Enforcement of army has been rushed to Dorimal to eliminate the fleeing terrorists. |
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Reviews situation in Leh;
Kargil Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 14: Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes arrived here today on an unscheduled visit to take stock of the armed forces preparedness in Leh and Kargil areas. Immediately after reaching here at 12 noon, George Fernandes left for Kargil and Leh. He visited strategic positions in Drass, Kargil, Batalic and other remote areas, interacted with security forces and had a lengthy discussion on the latest obtaining situation with commanders of 14 Corps in Leh. George Fernandes is also reported to have visited strategic positions and defence installations in Siachen Glacier area. Highly placed official sources disclosed to Excelsior that Fernandes accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home, Mr I D Swami would be reaching Jammu early in the morning on Wednesday. The Ministers are going to take a meeting with GoC in C of Northern Command besides Commanders of 16 Corps in Jammu. They will also have a two hour long breakfast meeting with Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah who has been asked to reach Jammu before 0715 hours in the morning. After attending the meeting with Defence Minister, Dr Abdullah is likely to return to Srinagar and attend the ccheduled swearing in ceremony of the new Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Mr Justice Babu Lal Chandu Lal Patel at SKICC or Raj Bhawan. Significantly Fernandes has cut short tour in Goa and set out on the unscheduled J&K tour immediately after learning about the Fidayeen attack in Kaluchak, Jammu today. Fernandes and Swami accompanied by Senior Army officials would be visiting the spot of the massive blood letting tomorrow. They may also visit some forward posts in Rajouri and Poonch district and even in Kashmir valley. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: AICC (I) president Sonia Gandhi has condemned the fidayeen attack at Kaluchak and is arriving here tomorrow afternoon on a day’s visit. She is scheduled to visit Kaluchak, the site of today’s fidayeen attack and later the Military Hospital in Satwari, where the injured were being treated. Sonia will be accompanied by PCC (I) president Ghulam Nabi Azad. Sonia had earlier also visited Prankote in Udhampur, Anantnag and Surankote after massacres of the civilians on different occasions. Mrs Gandhi has condemned the killings of innocent civilians including women and children in the attack in strongest terms. |
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US, UK refuse to declare HM a terrorist group ISLAMABAD, May 14: The United States and Britain have refused to declare the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the only indigenous militant group operating in Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘terrorist outfit’ for not attacking civilian targets and opting for suicidal bombings. The news quoting sources in London and Washington said the Hizb’s policy of not attacking civilian targets and opting for suicidal bombing basically saved it from being declared as a terrorist group. "The administrations in the US and Britain refuted allegations and evidences of the group involvement in targeting civilians and involving in suicidal bombings," it said. During the recent campaign against the militant aspect of the Kashmir militancy, the main target was the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen after the banning of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, the newspaper said. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 14: One SPO was killed while another was critically injured after an explosive device blasted in Police Station Lalpora in Kupwara District of North Kashmir today. According to reports, mother of SPO Bashir Ahmed was given a wireless set (booby trap) by a militant who told her to hand it over to SHO of concerned Police Station and ask him to talk to him (militant) on the set. The lady took the device to Police Station but the SHO was not present there at that time. She narrated the matter to Munshi who however did not touch the device and asked the lady to keep it at a distance. Later the Munshi called the SPO Bashir Ahmed who reported along with Munir Ahmed another SPO. As soon as Munir Ahmed took the Wireless set in his hand it exploded resulting in his instant death. Bashir Ahmed was also critically injured in the blast. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today gave a call for bandh in Jammu tomorrow in protest against the fidayeen attack at Kaluchak in which 30 persons were killed. The bandh call has also been supported by Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Shiv Sena. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 14: Authorities tonight ordered closure of all educational institutions here tomorrow as a precautionary measures in the aftermath of Kaluchak fidayeen attack. This was stated by Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Anil Goswami. |
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