SRINAGAR: Militants abducted the son in law of a former state assembly speaker and killed a hostage while 27 persons including 14 militants were killed in other incidents in the Kashmir valley since Saturday night.
Militants abducted Mohamed Ayub Wagey, a son in law of former state legislative assembly speaker Wali Mohammad too, even as army intensified its operations and searched more areas to nab the militants in the city. An official spokesman Sunday said Wagey was abducted on Friday.
The body of Ashok Vishnu Jhankar, an army Havildar abducted by Hizbul Mujahidin on Aug.12 from near Tangmarg, was found in a town of Ananinag district Sunday, official sources said.
Twenty three persons including five security men sustained bullet wounds in the daylong gun-battle between militants and the security forces in Srinagar, the spokesman said.
The worst affected area was Batmaloo were seven civilians and three security men were killed in the exchange of fire between militants and the security forces, the spokesman said. Eleven per sons including eight militants were killed in an exchange of fire between militants and security forces in downtown Srinagar Saturday, official sources Sunday said.
Giving details, the official spokesman said there was indiscriminate firing by the militants on the security forces in Batmaloo area from 1700 hours to 2330 hours Saturday night and from 0600 hours to 0930 hours Sunday morning.
The militants had taken refuge in a local mosque and raised freedom slogans, the spokesman said, adding that 12 others, including four security personnel sustained bullet wounds and were hospitalized.
The spokesman said four others including a security personnel sustained injuries when militants fired a rocket towards Khalifapora Khanyar Saturday.
The spokesman said militants opened fire on the security pickets in Janglat Mandi area and at the residence of PL Handoo, former national conference M.P, and later tried to set the Ashajipora bridge on fire which was foiled by the police guard posted there.
He said militants also opened fire to wards police station Soura Sunday. The security forces and the local police re turned the fire.
According to the spokesman, six militants were killed and 10 were arrested when they tried to sneak into this side of the border in the curfew bound five km border belt Saturday.
Eighteen suspects including four d militants were arrested from two localities of Srinagar Sunday. One pistol was also recovered, the spokesman said, adding that “full details would be available after the operations are over”.
Army troops intensified searches in Guzarbal, Chhatabal, Syed Sahib, Nalbandpora, Wattalkadal, Chhan Mohalla, Zainpohkadal, Moghul Masjid, Maidanpora, Noorbagh, Sakidaffer, Gasi Mohalla, KhanKhai-Ea searches, the sources said.
Three militants were arrested near Naseembagh in Srinagar Sunday, the spokesman said, adding that three Ak56 rifles, six magazines and 75 rounds were recovered from them.
Fourteen suspects were picked up by the security forces from Srinagar Satur day and were being interrogated, the spokesman said, He said three persons were arrested at Batapora in Baramulla district along with one magazine of AK 47 and 15 rounds.
A forest hut in Baramulla suffered extensive damages in a fire incident late Saturday night, The cause of fire is under investigation, the spokesman said.
Two civilians’ sustained injuries when two rival militant groups clashed in Badgam district Saturday, the spokesman said, adding that the security forces were fired upon at Chadura in the same district Saturday night but no loss of life was reported.
Meanwhile, life in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley was badly affected as shops and business establishments remained closed and transport off the roads for the second successive day Sunday.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 11, 1991
