JAMMU: Thirteen security forces personnel belonging to army road Construction detachment were kidnapped from the Paddar area of Doda district.

Reports said a group of militants attacked the GREF personnel at their Camp at Tihari, near Atholi Paddar, and kidnapped the 13 persons. The militants also looted wireless sets, arms and explosives.

According official sources, the GREF men at the camp were working on the Atholi Pangi road linking Doda district with Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

A massive manhunt has been launched to wack down the militants and the kidnapped men. Additional forces have been rushed to the area.

An official spokesman denied that Army personnel were abducted from the camp, or that arms and ammunition were looted from them by the militants, as claimed in reports circulated by news agencies from Srinagar, No Amy contingent is deployed in that area, he said.

In other incidents, two BSFjawans were among four persons killed since Sunday while life came to halt in the Kashmir valley following 2 bandh called by the Hizbul Muhahideen.

Security forces captured five militants, melding a self-styled company commander in the valley during the same period.

There was still no trace of former Bihar legislator P.K Sinha and legislators after a BSF jawan kidnapped by militants fast month.

An official spokesman said two BSF jawans were killed by militants during grenade attacks The Jawans were identified as Narinder Singh and S.V.Beswa.

Six civilians were injured by security forces at various localities during crack down operations.

The bullet riddled body of Ali Mohammad Sheikh was recovered from Hangui Gund village in Ananinag district in South Kashmir on Sunday night.

Militants opened fire on security forces’ patrol parties at Kishitwarin Doda district of Jammu region, on Sunday night, injuring a jawan.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir University postponed all examinations scheduled for Monday and shops and business establishments remained closed in Srinagar and other major towns in the valley in response to the bandh called by HizbulMujahideen (6 protest against the killing of five youth during rack down operations in Srinagar.

Security personal shot dead Ahmad Wani in the border town of Uni, 101 km from here, in Baramulla district on Monday morning.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 30, 1993