SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front kidnaped Dr. Rubiya Sayed (23) daughter of the Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayed on Dec 8th. She is being held hostage to secure the release of five JKLF militants.
The JKLF has threatened to kill Rubiya Sayed if its demand was not met by December 11. This deadline has been extended several times.
In a statement, the Front said the “body of Rubiya shall be left within the municipal limits of the city after the expiry of the deadline”.
Rubiya Sayed, the third daughter of federal home minister Mufti Hohammad Sayed, was kidnaped by militants Friday evening near Nowgam when she was returning home.
The Front has also threatened that “similar action will be taken against kin of senior police officials”.
The Front said in the statement, a photo copy of which was made available to PTI, that no talks were possible till the Indian army was withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir,
Meanwhile, commandos from National Security Guard (NSG) were flown from country’s capital of New Delhi for launching “rescue operation” of Rubiya Sayed,
Highly placed official sources said that a special plane carrying Black Cat commandos of NSG had left Delhi Friday evening but could not land here due to inclement weather.
The plane landed here early Saturday and the commandos have been kept in readiness to swoop in the area where the militants are believed to have held the hostage.
Messages have been sent to all district headquarters of the valley to conduct raids at different places, sources said.
Meanwhile, official sources said “a feeble contact” had been made with the kidnapers and expected something concrete by evening:
A medical internee at the LaIded hospital here, Rubiya was kidnaped from a bus near Bahgat Kanipora Friday evening.
Rubiya’s kidnaping is the second success for the Front which had kidnaped and later killed an Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre
in London in February 1984.
Meanwhile the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah has said that his government will leave no stone unturned in rescuing Rubiya.
In an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Adbullah described the kidnaping of Rubiya as “an act of cowardice” and said “culprits would be dealt with strongly.”
Ina major breakthrough, investigative agencies have reportedly located the hideout where pro-Pakistani militants are holding Dr. Rubiya.
Police officials said that the militants were holding in a crowded locality of downtown Srinagar.
The developments came while authorities established direct contract with the abductors to secure the safe release of the girl who was kidnaped at gunpoint on Friday afternoon.
Authoritive sources said the entire area where the militants are holed up has been sealed off and national security guard black cat commandos had taken up positions at vantage points.
According to official sources, negotiations between the authonties and the militants had continued throughout the night.
At one stage it appeared that an early solution was in sight. However the sources said that negotiations were running into rough weather because militants were changing their demands frequently.
The negotiations began through the mediation of the close relatives of the known or detained activists of JKLF, but later there was direct communication.
Meanwhile the authorities have tightened security all over the valley, especially in Srinagar city.
Mobile patrolling has been stepped up and armed guards posted at all street corners and important government buildings, 38 new police pickets mostly in downtown areas have also been set up.
A task force of senior central Officers led by the additional Home Secretary Sankaran NSG Chief Ved Marwah, inspector general, Joginder Singh and top intelligence officers were here from Delhi and are assisting the state authorities.
Briefing reporters, state Chief secretary Moosa Raza said, “All necessary and appropriate measures are being taken to secure the release of Dr. Rubiya.”
“We have not ruled out negotiations,” he said.
It was learnt that the negotiations had run into some difficulty over the issue of release of Sher Khan, a jailed Pakistani national his name had not figured in the first demand made by the captors.
Some sources said his name was inserted in a note circulated by the JKLF, replacing the name of Ghulamnabi Bhat, brother of hanged Maqbool Bhat, founder of the front.
The officials were tightlipped on the progress of negotiations. They would only say the matters were at a “delicate and sensitive stage.”
The JKLF had earlier demanded the release of its five top militants including Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Altaf, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Ghulam Nabi Bhat and Javeed Ahmed Zargar.
The spokesman has also said that JKLF guarantees full protection physical and moral to Dr. Rubiya.
Meanwhile, the driver and owner of the getaway car has been traced and were being interrogated.
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the JKLF Amanullah Khan asked his group’s supporters in Srinagar not to harm Rubiya.
In a statement released here, he has asked JKLF activists not to carry out there threat, “until we reach a conclusion and issue a clear directive.”
He said a special committee of the JKLF was “discussing” the matter.
Amnaullah Khan has also said, “she is like my daughter and urged the JKLF supporters to ensure that she was safe.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1989
