<span style='color:red'><b>Suspected assassination plot of J&K CM foiled</b></span>
Zeenews Bureau
Srinagar, Jan 25: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday foiled a terrorist plot to allegedly assassinate Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
It is believed that an âinsiderâ was involved in the proposed plan to assassinate the CM. Two security men have been detained by the police in this connection.
Keeping in mind the gravity of the issue, the overall security of the CM has been revamped. The commandos who are a part of his âBlack Catâ security cover have been shuffled.
Earlier, the Police interrogated two students, who had tipped them about the plot.
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=420454&sid=REG
1,700 stranded passengers airlifted in J&K
Link
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Feb 10, 2008
Srinagar : Nearly 1,700 stranded passengers were airlifted between here and Jammu by the Indian Air Force on Saturday even as the strategic national highway connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India was reopened on Saturday six days after its closure.
âArrangements have been made to airlift around 5,000 stranded passengers between Jammu and Srinagar with the help of the air force,â a senior officer said here.
Meanwhile, working against heavy odds, the border roads organisation re-opened the Jammu-Srinagar highway for light vehicular traffic on Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of stranded vehicles have already crossed the Jawahar Tunnel area to reach the valley, a traffic officer said.
âWe had respite after seven days of snowfall on Saturday as the clouds parted, bringing on the sun in Kashmir,â said T K Jotshi, assistant director with the weather department. He, however, warned of more snow avalanches in the higher reaches of the valley.
Meanwhile, the death toll in avalanches and roof collapses across the state has risen to 19. The civil administration has sought the assistance of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force in relief and rescue operations.
Consumer Affairs Minister Taj Mohiuddin told reporters that there were enough stocks of foodstuffs, petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas to last for two months.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Pampering killers </b>
Pioneer.com
Joginder Singh
<i>Politicians are predisposed not to see spending Other People's Money as a problem, because spending Other People's Money is what politicians do for a living. If politicians thought there were something wrong with it, they would be in a different line of work</i>.
- Michael F Cannon
The UPA Government has decided to provide a relief package to dependents of terrorists -- those men who fought against the integrity of India and were killed by the security forces in encounters in Jammu & Kashmir. They did nothing for the country except attempting to destabilise it and kill innocent civilians. They tried their best to demoralise and assassinate those who were standing against them and for our nation.
The extent of damage done by the terrorists, whose families are to be rewarded, can be gauged from the souvenir of Jammu & Kashmir Police released in 2003. It says that there were 56,041 incidents of violence, including 10,093 explosions, 29,931 firing incidents, 5,561 cases of arson, 763 rocket attacks, 4,597 abductions, 229 cases of hanging to death, 275 arms snatching cases and 4,592 other acts of violence from January 1990 to December 2002.
More than 30,000 civilians were killed during the 14-year-long militancy. The security forces seized 24,785 AK-type rifles, 9,387 pistols and revolvers, 58 carbines, 1,003 RPGs, 91 light machine guns and self-loading rifles, 742 rocket launchers and 2,270 rocket boosters during the same period. Besides, 6,865 kg of RDX, 47,219 grenades, 5,228 anti-personnel mines and 4,176 rockets were seized. Due to terrorism, 3.70 lakh Hindus and Sikhs were forced to leave the Valley and there has been almost total ethnic cleansing of the minorities from there.
The Government decision is, hence, shocking. The policy is the first of its kind in the whole world. It will cover hundreds of families whose men took to guns and led the Pakistan-backed separatist movement, killing and maiming thousands of innocent civilians and men of security forces. Imagine if the US were to follow such policy, it would give compensation and pension to the families of all those who were responsible for the 9/11 attack or killers of President Kennedy, or Sri Lanka would extend similar treatment to the kin of those who killed its two Presidents or Bangladesh would compensate the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman!
If implemented, the policy will make India look foolish in the eyes of the world, especially since our rulers are crying hoarse over terrorism. Incidentally, India is still bound by the UN resolution that demands strict action against terrorists. That the Government has also decided to come out with an aid package for the Kashmiri Pandits, rendered refugees in their own country, must have been an afterthought. Now, if the Government decision applies to the killers in Jammu & Kashmir, there is no reason not to extend it to other terrorists - Maoists and rebels in the North-East. The following chart will give an idea of the terrorists and killers in the other parts of the country.
Forty-five per cent of the country's geographical area, covering 220 districts, is in the grip of insurgency. In the last 20 years, 64,000 people have been killed in terrorist violence. In October 2003, 55 districts in nine States were affected by Maoist violence. In October 2004 it spread to 156 districts in 13 States. Since 1989, 13,000 civilians and 5,500 security personnel have been killed in Naxalite violence. Since that is so, the Government should ask itself why peace-loving taxpayers should foot the bill to compensate terrorists' kin just because it may help the Congress grab some extra votes when Jammu & Kashmir holds its next Assembly election.
The compensation money is added to the following bonanza that only one State, Jammu & Kashmir, is fortunate to receive from the Union. On November 17, 2004, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced an "economic revival plan" of Rs 24,000 crore for Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar. That was a grant of an additional Rs 5,712 per capita. In the period 2000-2003, the State got Rs 13,188 crore, which is more than three times what a much poorer State, Bihar, got - Rs 4,047 crore. When you consider the Rs 14,085 crore net resource transfer by the Centre, with Rs 13,188 crore as a grant, you will get an idea of the magnitude of dole that Jammu & Kashmir gets. A similar "economic revival plan" for Bihar would amount to Rs 47,458 crore.
The Jammu & Kashmir Government employs 3.5 lakh people, making it a ratio of 34.5 Government employees to every thousand persons. To get a better idea of the enormity of the State's assistance in employment, note that the Rajasthan Government employs less than double the number of people despite being about five and a half times bigger than Jammu & Kashmir in terms of population.
Why such largesse for Jammu & Kashmir when the State does quite well in terms of socio-economic development? Its literacy level is at the national level (65.4 per cent). Its sex ratio (923:1000) too is almost at par with the national average (933:1000). Its birth rate (19.9:1000) is lower than the national average (25.8), its death rate (5.4:1000) lower than the national average (8.5/1000) too. With infant mortality rate at 45:1000, per capita income at Rs 12,399, 10th Five Year Plan per capita allocation of Rs 14,399, it has no reason to complain about the Centre's doles.
It is nobody's case that Jammu & Kashmir does not get enough. In 2002-2003, the State raised a mere Rs 936 crore by way of taxes when its total non-tax revenue was Rs 4,745. Bihar collected Rs 2814 crore by way of taxes and had a total non-tax revenue of just Rs 2062 crores. In the last 10 years its poverty level has dropped from 25.17 per cent to a mere 3.48 per cent. The poverty level in India is around 26 per cent. Quite clearly, therefore, the nation's generosity and bounty is lavished upon Jammu & Kashmir very unfairly even as the State Government's accounts have not been audited for over a decade. No one really knows what was spent where and who got what.
<b>The Indian Government's decision amounts to the Government rewarding the terrorists for killing our brave soldiers. It may be no surprise, if the Government comes out with a package to offer a similar scheme to the perpetrators of the 1993 Mumbai blasts, 2006 trains bombings, the Sarojini Nagar and Govindpuri blasts and perhaps even the next of kin of the terrorists who attacked the Parliament House as well as those who attacked the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly. The media has already hinted that all this is being done, in view of the forthcoming general election.</b> If that's true, it proves what Joseph Sobran said about the US, which is also applicable to our country: "The difference between a politician and a pickpocket is that a pickpocket doesn't always get indignant when you tell him to keep his hands to himself."
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Â Â <b>J&K temples being sold, allege Pandits </b>
Kavita Suri
JAMMU, Feb. 10: Kashmiri Pandits allege that the Muslim-majority government in Jammu and Kashmir is ignoring illegal sale of Hindu temples and other community properties in the state.
<b>Less than 5,000 Kashmiri Pandits who live in the Kashmir valley say that their resistance to sale of temple properties has exposed them to threats from a very powerful land mafia. Pandits allege they have been warned against protesting, or face the consequences. </b>
These Pandits say that despite the state governmentâs âverbal assurancesâ to protect temple properties, nothing is being done to save them. A promise to bring in legislation during the recent assembly session to prevent sale of such properties was not fulfilled. To the disappointment of Pandits, the legislature was adjourned sine dine without introduction of the bill.
The Pandits say there is more to the non-introduction of the Bill than meets the eye. They claim that powerful interests, including a land mafia, scuttled the legislation.
The ground realities in Kashmir are alarming. The Dharmarth Trust headed by Dr Karan Singh has locked up an ancient and historical temple Ram jee of Barbar Shah. This is the first time in its known history that the temple has been locked. Security forces living in the adjacent dharmashala have been told not to enter the temple precincts.
âFor all these years, it was a routine with us, the few Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley, to come here every Sunday for a get-together, make prasad and distribute it among devotees. But the trust management, with the help of the state government, locked up the temple and no one has been allowed to enter for the past month,â said Mr Vijay Sas of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), Kashmir.
Pandits allege that some in the Dharmarth Trust management want to sell off the property of the temple, valued at Rs 300 crore. In fact, some of them allege that the property will be sold to an influential Muslim living in the Valley. The property located just across the Rambagh Bridge and opposite the Metrological Department is at a prime location.
Inside the huge plot of land, there is an ancient Shiva temple, said to be around 1200 years old. The lingam is said to be more than 8.5 feet high.
The KPSS filed a PIL in the Supreme Court and was asked to file a fresh case in the concerned High Court. A case is already pending in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar Wing.
âSince January 2008, another incident of sale of our religious and community property has surfaced in Kashmir. It is the sale of DAV School in Rainawari by one Roshan Lal Raina who was just a teacher in that school but turned into a broker,â said Mr Sas.
Pandits allege that the sale took place at the behest of an influential official attached to the Director-General of Police, J&K.
âKPSS has taken the legal course in the matter but we are worried,â said a displaced pandit. But they hope the court will intervene and stay the sale of temples.
<b>âThe problem is that the national media is not interested in the story while the local Muslim-majority media does not care,â said Mr Sas. </b>
âIf the government fails to bring a Bill in the ongoing session of the state Assembly to ban sale of temples and other religious properties, we will proceed on a fast unto death,â KPSS president Mr Sanjay Tickoo said.
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<b> Stranded passengers airlifted in J&K</b>
Feb 15, 2008
Jammu: 66 stranded passengers in the snow-hit areas were airlifted by the Indian Air Force choppers from the Udhampur airfield to Doda district following directions from the Jammu and Kashmir government, officials said.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday flew in to the Bhaderwah and Kishtwar areas to review the situation.
He directed that the passengers be air-lifted.
The passengers bound for Bhalesa, the native place of the Chief Minister, were being airlifted from the Jammu and Udhampur areas, they said.
Mr. Azad held meetings with the officials in Kishtwar and Doda districts.
<b> Top LeT terrorist involved in terror attack on CRPF camp eliminated</b>
Fri, Feb 15, 2008
Srinagar, Feb 15 - A top Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, involved in the Jan 1 attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh, was eliminated Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Abdul Rehman was involved in the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in which eight people were killed as well as in major terror attacks in south Kashmir. He was killed by security forces early Friday.
Police described it as the biggest blow to the LeT in recent times.
<b>J&K govt to spend about Rs 7 cr in Kupwara</b>
Feb 16 : Jammu and Kashmir government is spending about seven crore rupees on various developmental projects in Kupwara district, including bridges, during current fiscal under Border Area Development Programme (BADP)and other programmes.
The Kupwara district Development Commissioner, Kachu Asfandyar Khan said, the amount is being incurred on construction of four bridges, five public health centres and six school buildings in the district.
He said four bridges are under execution at various places in the district involving a cost of over three crore rupees.
For the construction of five public health centres, about one crore rupees are being spent. Mr. Khan said one of the centre has been completed and handed over to the health department.
He said under education sector, six more school buildings are under execution.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Govt. approves setting up of field station in Leh
Feb 16 : The Government has approved setting up of a field station at the high altitude cold desert of Leh in Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir to tackle the environment-related problems of the region.
To be set up by the Almora-based GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, the field station will be the first of its kind at the rugged mountains in the region having borders with Pakistan in West and China in the East.
The Director of GBPIHED, Mr. Uppeandra Dhar said, three teams of its scientists will be sent soon to survey the infrastructural need of the locals.
With the coming up of the centre at the 11,500 feet high from the sea, the institute will have its first presence felt in Jammu and Kashmir where ecology is under pressure due to growing tourism and development activities.
Mr. Dhar said, they will ensure that the stakeholders in the region including community and NGOs as well government is involved intensively and solve problems according to their requirement.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Army officer, trooper killed in J&K encounter</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Defence spokesman Lt Col A K Mathur said Lt Col MS Kadam and trooper Pradeep Kumar were killed in the ensuing gun-battle.
Asked about the fate of the terrorists, he said although the firing has stopped, he would not be able to comment on that immediately
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PM Moron Singh now have to give pension to terrorist family and if terrorist is alive he will offer him job in PMO so that Moron Singh can sleep well.
<b> Indian Armyâs gesture to Nowshera students</b>
Mar 21, 2008
NEW DELHI: The Armyâs brigade in the border town of Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir has provided additional educational facilities in the region.
The Armyâs intention here is to provide facilities that improve the educational environment.
In one such gesture, the Army provided facilities to ensure students of Chwokinandan village do not have to study in the open.
The facility of a suitable class room with adequate facilities was inaugurated by the general officer in commanding of the Rajouri Division.
The region has seen fierce battles in all the three wars with Pakistan.
Army to pay 500% more rent in J&K
5 Apr 2008, 0324 hrs IST,TNN
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NEW DELHI: The Union government on Friday announced a big hike in rental rates of the land and orchards occupied by the army in Jammu & Kashmir, in line with recommendations of an expert panel set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after such demands were raised by state politicians.
The hike ranges from 200% to 500% for different categories of land and will remain in force for five years. "The measures, taken at defence minister A K Antony's initiative, will provide succour to the people in J&K, who will now get realistic payments for their land," said defence ministry spokes-person Sitanshu Kar.
Over one-third of the 1.13-million strong army is deployed in J&K to guard the volatile Line of Actual Control as well as undertake counter-insurgency operations in the hinterland.
The expert panel, incidentally, has ruled out any large-scale troop reduction in J&K at this stage but called for "relocation and reconfiguration" of security forces deployed within the state to make them "less obtrusive" and ease the lives of civilians there.
The rental hikes will help the UPA government placate People's Democratic Party of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, a coalition partner of the Congress in the state government, which has raised the pitch for moving soldiers out of horticulture land, orchards, government and private buildings in the state.
Under the new measures, for class-I category of irrigated land, the rates have been increased from Rs 1,125 to Rs 3,381 per kanal (around one-eight of an acre) per annum. The government, in turn, will pay Rs 4,087 per kanal per annum, instead of the existing Rs 1,125, for "irrigated double-cropped land".
A substantial hike has been given for use of land having fruit bearing orchards, where the rents have been hiked up to Rs 10,000 per kanal per annum from the existing Rs 1,575. For land falling under Jammu and Srinagar municipal corporations, Poonch municipal council and Srinagar and Jammu cantonment areas, the rates have been increased from Rs 6,750 to Rs 33,750 per kanal per annum.
For the land falling under municipal councils, the rentals will now be Rs 16,875 instead of Rs 3,357, and Rs 13,500 instead of Rs 2,700 for those under municipal committees.
For the class-II category of irrigated land, the rates have been increased from Rs 1,125 to Rs 3,200, and for the unirrigated" category, the new rate has been fixed at Rs 1,390 against the present Rs 563 per kanal per annum. In the case of "uncultivable" land, the rentals have been increased from Rs 413 to Rs 895.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Srinagar, April 9: Police have arrested a suspected Hindu militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba from Ramban district in Jammu.
Several Hindu militants have been either killed or arrested in recent years but most of them belonged to the Hizb-ul Mujahideen. âIt is perhaps the first case where a Hindu with links to Lashkar has been arrested,â Jammu police chief K. Rajendra said.
The police said Rashpal Singh, a PCO owner in Ramban, was arrested during a raid last evening and a grenade was recovered from him.
âHe is an overground worker of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. We are questioning him to ascertain how he joined the militant group and what was his motivation,ââ Rajendra said.
Police sources said Singh got the grenade from another Lashkar militant, Fareed.
http://www.telegraphindia.com//1080410/jsp...ory_9118711.jsp
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It is well known that Pakis are denying democracy to kashmiris under their occupation but know these coward pakis are desperately trying to deny the rights to the kashmiris in J&K by increasing terrorist activities.
<b>Hizbul Mujahideen's chilling plans to disrupt democratic process revealed</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> http://timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=7182
4/13/2008
In a shocking revelation, two Hizbul Mujahideen ultras, who were recently apprehended by the security forces in Doda heights told TIMES NOW about their <b>ugly designs of disrupting democratic process by escalating violence ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls in the region.</b>
The Indo-Pak border at Jammu slopes have remained silent for months, thanks to a significant fall in militant incursions. But this might very well be the lull before the storm. Chilling information retrieved from two recently arrested Hizbul ultras revealed sinister plans of creating a surge in cross-border infiltration, especially around the time Jammu and Kashmir goes to the polls in October 2008.
Khadim Hussein -- Hizbul Commander, Doda said, "<b>We have been told to remain low till the elections are near and then target leader</b>." It's a change in the gamelan of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
They plan to hoodwink security personnel by avoiding confrontation, but stay hidden, close to LoC. <b>Then in September, the Hizb's plan to sneak across just as campaigning for Jammu and Kashmir election gathers steam. The objective is to target political leaders when they come out in full public view and cause maximum casualties, all to ensure that when election day comes, polling booths stay empty.</b>
Mohammad Sharief -- Hizbul Militant said, "<b>During the elections, we were told to use IEDS etc and no let people vote</b>." These fresh instructions come close on the heels of a statement by Hizb Chief and United Jehadi Council supremo Syed Salahudin who announced that the guns in the Valley won't fall silent unless Kashmir gets its right to self-determination and the threat is like a ticking time bomb for security agencies.
Lt General RK Karwal said, "There are 19 training terror camps and 400 militants about to cross over." Now with the danger of a disrupted elections looming large, the state's security chiefs know that they have their task cut out. Jammu and Kashmir DGP said, "Infiltration is continuing and there are inputs that more militants are planning to infiltrate in coming days. This election will be real test for us to ensure free and fear polls and we are that we will take all sorts of measures.'"
<b>With six months to elections, the countdown has long since started. Taking advantage of ceasefire, Pakistan is consolidating its position, something that is worrying the Indian troops guarding the border. It will not give Pakistan a military edge, but it definitely makes troop movement difficult during time of war</b>.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Looks like some ex- J&K minister would like to use na-pak currency in the state.
Clicky
J-K police kill two Hizbul Mujahideen militants
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Apr 28 2008, Srinagar
Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday gunned down two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen in Baramulla District.
According to DIG Baramulla B. Srinivas, working on a tip-off the police assisted by CRPF and army deployments cordoned the house in the intervening night of April 27 and sensing the presence of the militants in the house the operation parties successfully rescued the civilians by the early hours of April 28. 2008. In the ensuing encounter both the militants hiding in the house were killed.
The militants have been identified Financial Chief of HM Zahoor Ahmad Waza alias Zee Shan and Mohammad Yousuf Bhat alias Muneer.
Zahoor Waza was a specialist in fabrication of explosive devices, said police.
Both the slain militants were operating in the area of Pattan for the past eight years and had also been recruiting local cadres, Srinivas said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Kashmiri Pandit leaders reject PM's rehab package</b> <!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo-->
JAMMU, April 30: The displaced Kashmiri Pandit community has rejected the Rs. 1600 crore rehabilitation package announced for the rehabilitation of the ethnic minority by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in his recent visit to Jammu last week.
<b>The âso-called packageâ announced by the Prime Minister for displaced Kashmiri Hindus does not address any of the real problems, short term or long term faced by Kashmiri Hindus, Panun Kashmir leaders have charged, alleging that it has trivialized the wholesale religious cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and amounts to abdication of responsibility by the government to reverse the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus.</b>
âThe UPA government has demonstrated its inaptitude and abject failure in comprehending the real challenges to the return of Kashmiri Hindus," Dr Agnishekhar and Dr Ajay Chrangoo told a press conference today, charging that the government has completely ignored their concerns and apprehensions.
"By reducing the issue of genocide to merely constructing a shelter in the Kashmir valley, the UPA Government has displayed lack of vision in confronting the larger challenge of jehadi terrorism," the leaders said.
If having a house in Kashmir was the only problem for Kashmiri Hindus then none of them would have left the state in 1990, Dr Agnisekhar said.
Major components of the Prime Minister's package include provision of housing and job facilities and waiver of interest on loans to displaced Kashmiri Pandits, with each migrant family that opts to return to the valley promised a lump sum of Rs 7,50, 000 to build or buy homes.
Dr Agnisekhar said the permanent return of Kashmiri Hindus to the valley can be ensured only by tackling all dimensions of terrorism, de-communalisation of the social milieu in the valley and creating a viable political and economic dispensation for the displaced community.
The Pandit leaders said the Centre should have addressed the issues of forcible grabbing of property belonging to Pandits and shrines, compensation and release of rental arrears of houses occupied by security forces, waiver of loans and income tax for traders besides a comprehensive employment package.
<b>âGimmicks like announcing funds for housing societies in the Valley for Kashmiri Hindus, knowing well that no one accepted them during past two decades, will only complicate the issues,â said the leaders. </b>
They also regretted the failure of the government to consider the primary demand of the community for setting up a commission of inquiry into the core issue of Hindu exodus and religious cleansing and fixing responsibility for it.
The leaders further said the way the package was declared in Akhnoor, it has caused bad feelings against Kashmiri Hindus. Wittingly or unwittingly, the announcement tried to pit the interests of displaced Kashmiri Hindus against aggrieved and devastated border migrants, PoK refugees or internally displaced Hindus of Jammu, they said. n sns
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<b>2 militants killed, hostages rescued</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A daylong fierce encounter in Samba in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Sunday evening, as Indian security forces shot dead two holed-up militants who had killed five people, including a woman and a photo-journalist, turning this town into a scene of battle.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Indian troops killed in Kashmir
At least five Indian soldiers have been killed in a militant ambush in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the army says.
Two officers were among troops from the Border Roads Organisation killed in the attack in Kishtwar district.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Troops have sealed off the area and launched a search operation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7453811.stm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Autonomy debate resurfaces in Jammu & Kashmir
Staff Reporter
Jammu: The debate on autonomy and Article 370 has been revived in Jammu and Kashmir with the National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party taking opposite stands on the issue. National Conferenceâs chief ministerial candidate for the coming Assembly election, Farooq Abdullah, has emphasised that autonomy is the only way to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
âMost feasibleâ
Dr. Abdullah had said at a public rally: âThe roadmap prepared by the National Conference for resolution of the Kashmir imbroglio is the most feasible and perfect in all respects. The entire world is now considering autonomy as the only viable and sustainable solution for the Kashmir issue.â
He maintained that those opposing the resolution had now realised that there could be no other possible solution to the decades-old issue.
âThe Government of India has to accept our demand and give the people what is best for them,â he said.
As per the autonomy document, the State should have its own Supreme Court, Election Commission and the nomenclature of the post of Chief Minister should be changed to Prime Minister. Instead of the Governor, the nomenclature âSadr-i-riyasatâ should be used and the person be elected by the Assembly.
<b>Slain Lt Col braved terror threats in Kashmir</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Jammu: Lt Col Ajay Verma was shot dead by terrorists in the Kishtwar area of Jammu while inspecting the a Border Road Organisation (BRO) project near the Line of Control.
His family is now struggling to come to terms with their loss and is questioning the lack of security on the government's part, despite several threats.
BRO personnel working in remote areas of Kishtwar are soft targets for terrorists
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