SRINAGAR: Militants kidnapped three persons, two of them relatives of political leaders, while eight persons were killed and 46 militants, including five area com manders, arrested during search operations in the strife torn Kashmir valley.

Fourteen houses and a block of a higher secondary school were gutted in fire incidents overnight Sunday in neither the valley, nor them most Jammu and Kashmir state, where Muslim militants are fighting for secession from India.

Abdul Qayoom, brother-in-law of former state agriculture minister, Mohammad Shafi, and Ahamaddullah Beg, brother- in-law of Muzzaffar Ahmed beg, a leading advocate of the state and former vice-president of Peoples Conference, were Kidnapped by militants at Gingaluri and Dudbug near Tangmarg in Baramulla district Sunday official sources said Monday.

Dr.Satinder Zutshi, was abducted by militants in the summer capital Sunday evening, an official spokesman told re porters.

With this the number of hostages still in captivity of militant abductors has risen to 12, Nine persons including the brother in law of federal minister Ghulan Nabi Azad, two Sons of former ministers, Mosio Silva Antonio, a French engineer, Puran Anand Sharma, a senior police officer of Jammu and Kashmir police, K C Gupta, senior manager of Punjab National Bank, Dr. S.S.L Khosa of an insurance company are still in the captivity of various separatist outs.

Militants abducted the son of a former minister while nearly 70 men were arrested during continuing crackdown and search operations in Kashmir valley Wednesday. Four persons including two militants were killed and a govt building and several houses

suffered damage in incidents Of violence in Kashmir valley since Tuesday night, official sources said.

Displaying their skill to strike at will, unidentified militants intercepted a private medical college bus at Bemina bypass and Kidnapped Sajad Shafi, the son of the former agriculture minister Mohammad Shafi Uri around 1030 hrs. Oct.23, an of spokesman told reporters.

Sajad Shafi, a second year student of Jhelum medical college was taken off the college bus and whisked away to  un known destination, the spokesman said.

“Efforts are on to wake him”, he said,

No militant outfit was claimed responsibility for the kidnapping so far. Shafi is the eighth victim of a series of kidnappings in the valley in the last two months.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 1, 1991