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5 infiltrators killed in Kathua district

JAMMU, Dec 15: Five infiltrators were killed near International Border in Kathua district in Jammu division in the wee hours of today.The suspicious movement of the infiltrators was noticed by Army troops in Hiranagar sector around 0240 hours, the defence sources said....more

Militants loot police post of 11 weapons, wireless set

JAMMU, Dec 15: A heavily armed group of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants today swooped over a remote police post and looted 11 weapons, one wireless set and ammunition in doda district of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours today, official sources said. The group of nearly 15 militants fired at the Singhpora Post in Chatroo forests of Doda district around 0330 hours today, they said. ........more

3rd batch of Army troops de-inducted from J&K

SRINAGAR, Dec 15: A third batch of Army troops was de-inducted from Jammu and Kashmir today for deployment elsewhere in the country, a defence spokesman said. Nearly one batallion of troops comprising 700 personnel left for an undisclosed destination from the old airfield security camp in the outskirts of the city this morning.......more

Rescue workers haul injured people from the wreckage left after a head on collision
by two passenger trains near Mukerian on Tuesday. (UNI)

Murder, cries Lalu
37 killed, 50 injured in train collision

MUKERIAN (PUNJAB), Dec 14: In the second major train accident in six months, 37 people, including 11 women and a child, were today killed and about 50 injured, 16 of them seriously, when Ahmedabad-bound Jammu Tawi Express collided head-on with a local train here, about 40 kms from Jalandhar. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, who visited the accident site, termed the collision as a "murder" and said Station Masters of Chak Kalan and Bangara would be charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder under IPC on the charge of allowing the two trains to travel on the same track. . . ..........more

Kasuri meets Indian officials, calls for forward movement

ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Calling for forward movement of the composite dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri today said Islamabad was committed to the ongoing peace process with India but preferred simultaneous progress in Confidence Building Measures. ...........more

India, Pak exchange draft MoU on drug trafficking

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Sharing their concern over drug trafficking, India and Pakistan today exchanged a draft Memorandum of Understanding on efforts to deal with the problem. A joint statement, issued after the two-day Director General-level talks between narcotics officials of the two countries, said both sides positively engaged with each other on issues relating to trafficking of drugs, psychotropics and precursor chemicals. . . . ........more

Militants gun down father, daughter

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 14: Militants have shot dead three civilians, including two females, in Kashmir valley since last evening. Informed sources in north Kashmir told the EXCELSIOR that militants today called one Abdur Razaq Shah S/o Samad Shah R/o Kawari, Handwara, through a messenger to their hideout in Handwara forest area. Shah was directed to produce himself before a militant commander alongwith his 16-year-old daughter, Mubeena. The father-daughter duo left the home in the forenoon. Militants reportedly wanted "some clarification" regarding an encounter that took place at Shah’s house in October this year. A prominent militant of Hizbul . ......more

Centre to pursue dialogue path Infiltration in J&K goes down by 60 pc: Patil

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Government today declared in Lok Sabha that it would pursue the path of dialogue to bring "misguided elements" back in the mainstream but asserted that national security interests would not be compromised at any cost. . ....more

Army says situation improving in J&K

SRINAGAR, Dec 14: Asserting that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was improving, Army today said the security forces were fighting a battle for restoration of peace in the State and the recent increase in militant attacks would not deter them from continuing the mission.........more

Mir Qasim laid to rest

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Dec 14: The mortal remains of former Chief Minister, Syed Mir Qasim today were laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard Asrari Baghdad Mir Maidan, Dooru Shahabad in Anantnag district with full State honour. Thousands of people participated in the Jinaza prayers of the deceased leader. ......more

Govt against trifurcation of J&K

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Government today gave clear indication in the Lok Sabha that it was against any move to trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir. "The policy of Government of India has been explained at large and that policy continues," Home Minister Shivraj Patil said in reply to a discussion on internal security in the country. ....more

India, Pak agree for joint survey

ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: India and Pakistan today agreed to conduct a joint survey of the boundary pillars at Sir Creek, a small coastal strip along the Rann of Kutch off Gujarat Coast, from January three. "Both sides positively understood each other’s points of view and a consensus generally emerged," a Pakistan Defence Ministry statement said at the end of the first day of the two-day talks between senior defence officials of the two countries. ....more

Employees defer strike till Dec 20 .......

‘Wonderful opportunity to build peace’......

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JAMMU (JAMMU & KASHMIR) INDIA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2004