Four militants among 8 killed, major tragedy averted in J

Srinagar, Aug 31 (UNI) Four militants, including three Pakistan nationals, and three security personnel were among eight people killed in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said today.

A major tragedy was averted when the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel today detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway planted to target convoy of security forces.

In an encounter, security forces killed two militants belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit at Bonibagh village in Kangan area, about 40 km from here, on the Srinagar-Leh national highway late last night.

A soldier also laid down his life in the encounter, the spokesman said, adding two Ak rifles and nine magazines were seized from the slain ultras, identified as Zaheer Hamid alias Abu Jarar Askari and Musaib (both Pakistan nationals).

Security forces killed another Pakistani militant Bilal Bhai at Gagangeer village in the same area early today. An AK assault rifle and four magazines were seized from his possession.

Bilal was believed to be a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen and involved in a series of militant activities, the spokesman said.

In another gunfight at Ari Kund village of Qazigund area, about 80 km from here, last evening, a militant was killed.

Militants shot at and critically wounded a police head constable, Bashir Ahmad, at Iqbal Market Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district at around 1615 hrs this evening.

Bashir was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, but he died on way.

Militants also killed an SPO at Lolab in the frontier district of Kupwara late last night.

Militants entered the house of Mohammad Sultan Wagay at Dangiwacha in Baramulla district last night and shot dead his daughter Haseena Akthar.

Police rushed to the spot, but militants had managed to escape, the spokesman said.

A CRPF spokesman said personnel of CRPF's 155 battalion noticed some suspicious article lying on a roadside at Doonipora Bijbehara on the highway this morning. They found a transistor fitted with electronic detonators and two kg of explosive.

A bomb disposal squad was immediately summoned which defused the IED, he said, adding the IED was planted by the militants to target the convoy of the security forces.

''A major tragedy was averted. If the IED was not defused in time, it could have caused huge damage to life or property,'' the spokesman said.

UNI AG VD RS2004