Author: Excelsior Special Correspondent
Publication: The Daily Excelsior
Date: June 19, 2004
While as suspected militants have
decapitated a 55-year-old Gujjar and his son in Tral area and also gunned
down a restaurateur in the Capital city today, security forces have killed
a Pakistani militant in Aeshmuqam area of Anantnag district.
Informed sources in south Kashmir
told EXCELSIOR that the severed heads of a 55-year-old civilian, Akbar
Deenda S/o Sideeq R/o Zuzbal (Laam) Tral, and his son Ali Mohammad were
recovered from Soipathri Behak in upper Tral forest area today. Police
as well as civilians conducted a search but the torsos were not spotted
anywhere in that area.
Inquiries revealed that one of Akbar
Deenda's sons had earlier worked for Jaish-e-Mohammad. After some time,
he opted to become a source of the security forces. He led the troops in
several counter-insurgency operations. Militants made an attempt to eliminate
him but they failed. Later, he was arrested in a criminal case and he has
been lodged in Srinagar Central Jail. Recently, troops of Rashtriya Rifles
42 Bn destroyed some militant hideouts in Laam area. Somehow, militants
learned that the security forces had been guided to their hideouts by Akbar
Denda and his son Ali Mohammad.
Militants, believed to be those
from Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit, swooped on an upper Tral locality and kidnapped
Akbar as well as his son. After severe physical torture, militants chopped
off the heads of both the Gujjars in captivity and later dropped the same
at a distant place. However, no militant outfit has immediately claimed
responsibility.
Here in the Capital city, unidentified
gunmen, believed to be militants, appeared at a restaurant, Hotel Gareeb
Nawaz, in Gonikhan and fired upon the owner Mohammad Shafi Mir's son, Javed
Ahmed Mir of Guru Bazar. With gunshot wounds to his body, Javed Ahmed Mir
was rushed to a hospital. However, he succumbed to injuries. Inquiries
revealed that Javed's brother had earlier been fired upon by suspected
militants. However, he recuperated at a hospital. Shopkeepers suspect Javed's
brother would have been the actual target of the militants.
Reports from south Kashmir added
that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 3 Bn conducted a search operation at Rishipora
Konbal in Aeshmuqam area of Anantnag district. During the operation, exchange
of gunfire took place between the militants and security forces in which
one Pakistani militant got killed. He was identified as Liaquat Ali Mughal
S/o Gul Zaman.
Militants fired upon a patrol party
of security forces in Kokernag area. One soldier sustained injuries.
Reports said that militants lobbed
a hand grenade on a patrol party of 28-Madras at Azad Gunj in Baramulla
town late last evening. It exploded on the road, causing injuries to six
troopers and a civilian.
