Author: Excelsior Special Correspondent
Publication: Daily Excelsior
Date: August 28, 2004
URL: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/04aug28/news.htm#5
Three militants including two Pakistanis
and a couple were killed in the militancy related incidents across the
Jammu region overnight.
Official sources said three militants
entered in the house of Mohd Ashiq son of Abdul Aziz Malik at village Sona
Bagh in Cobra Dhok in upper reaches of Reasi tehsil late last night. The
militants rained bullets on the house inmates killing Ashiq and his wife
Naseema Begum on spot.
The militants escaped after the
killings.
The couple original hailed from
Bathoi village in Reasi. Presently, they were putting up at Sona Bagh due
to militant threats to them for allegedly working for security forces.
A police party rushed to the spot
early this morning for investigations. Security forces have also cordoned
off the area and launched a search operation for the militants, involved
in the killing.
Sources said the killers were believed
to be the local militants of Lashkar-e- Toiba (LeT) outfit.
Meanwhile, police and security forces
gunned down a top militant of Jaish-e- Mohammed outfit in an encounter
at Choudhary Narh near Rajouri this evening. Two police personnel were
injured in the gun-battle.
DIG Rajouri-Poonch range SM Sahai
said the top Jaish commander identified as Mohd Hassan Askari, who hailed
from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was gunned down in a fierce exchange
of gun-battle at Choudhary Narh at 6 pm today.
Sukhdev Singh, constable and Bhola
Ram, a Special Police Officer (SPO) were injured in the firing. They have
been hospitalised.
One AK rifle, one magazine and two
hand grenades were recovered from the slain militant.
Two militants reportedly escaped
during the gun-battle as there were reports that atleast three militants
were present in the area when the operation was launched. Security forces
still maintained a cordon in the area.
Another Pakistani militant Mohd
Ashfaq, an 'area commander' of Jaish-e- Mohammed was gunned down by Army
and police in a joint operation at Bigial Mohalla in Gursai area of Mendhar
in Poonch district last night.
One AK rifle, two rounds, some eatables
and one pouch were recovered from the scene of encounter. An associate
of Ashfaq escaped during the encounter.
A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) activist
Mohd Altaf was killed by the security forces and police at village Hamuta
in Mendhar early today. One AK rifle was recovered from him.
Meanwhile, a 22 year old youth Mukhtiar
Ahmed son of Rehmatullah was kidnapped by the militants from his house
at Seri, Mandi in Poonch last night.
He remained untraced.
