SRINAGAR: The situation continued to be tense in the Kashmir valley following confrontation between the militants and the authorities over the alleged siege of the shrine town of Chrar-e-Sharief.

Ten persons, including five militants, were killed and seven wounded in the state, an official spokesmen said.

Militants bombed a vital communication link, while security forces captured three militants in the Valley during the period, he said.

The government offered a safe pas- sage to the militants who have taken shelter inside the shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani at Char-e-Sharief. The other evoked no response from the militants as yet.

Police fired warning shots to disperse offer agitated slogan-shouting residents of Barzallah, Bhagat and Balbulgagh in Srinagar, who were protesting against the alleged desecration of a mosque by troops at Barzallah.

Dismissing the allegations of the locals, the spokesman said “some armed miscreants allegedly masquerading in uniform entered Jamia Masjid at Barzallah and manhandled one Chowkidar and tied him with ropes. The miscreants broke open the almirahs, ransacked it and threw around articles from inside the almirah.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 24, 1995