Plan to kill J

Srinagar, Jun 13: A militant plan to assassinate Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was foiled by troops when they arrested three ultras in north Kashmir, a defence ministry spokesman said today.

The arrest took place hours before Mr Azad was scheduled to visit Handwara, in the frontier district of Kupwara yesterday, a defence ministry spokesman said.

He said patrolling was intensified after receiving information about the visit of the Chief Minister to Handwara to address he said.

Spokesman said troops of 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) during a routine patrolling, noticed a youth identified as Imtiyaz moving in a suspicious manner in main Handwara town.

During the frisking, a hand grenade was recovered from his possession and immediately an alert was sounded as the Chief Minister was to arrive in the town.

He said the youth, who named two more persons, said that they were instructed to lob the hand grenade on the Chief Minister.

Later, two more persons identified as Sajjad and Akhtat, were also arrested from different places.

All the three youth belong to Dorushpura near Handwara, he said, adding timely action by the troops foiled by the militant plan to kill the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, he said, three militants and two soldiers were killed and three soldiers wounded in the Gagal, Lolab, encounter in the frontier district of Kupwara.

This was the fourth plan by the militants to attack the Chief Minister since January this year.

Police arrested three persons, including a woman, before they could attack Mr Azad at Banihal. Two similar militant plans were foiled by the security forces and police in Jammu region.

UNI