The Hindu : Front Page : NC leader among eight killed in Kashmir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

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NC leader among eight killed in Kashmir

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, DEC. 29. In a fresh cycle of violence in the Kashmir Valley, eight persons, including a senior National Conference leader and two women, have been killed and four injured since Tuesday evening.

There was an exchange of fire as troops of 42 Rashtriya Rifles were conducting a routine search of a passenger bus from Srinagar in the Tral area of South Kashmir.

As they stopped the bus at Lalgam checkpost at around 10.45 a.m., a militant jumped out and started firing with a pistol, critically injuring a soldier.

A defence spokesman said that on hearing the firing, a BSF road opening party opened fire, which hit the civilian bus resulting in the death of two women and injuries to two other persons.

A BSF spokesman, however, refuted the Army statement. "None of our personnel was involved in the firing on the passenger bus," the spokesman said, adding it was an Army operation and the BSF had nothing to do with it.

Reports said the soldiers had retaliated and the Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir zone, Javed Mukhdoomi, said two women and a civilian were killed while four others were injured. Abdur Rashid Bhat of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, was shot dead.

Mr. Mukhdoomi said the slain militant was released from jail only a few months ago. Sources said the Army man who was shot at died later.

Militants shot Farooq Ahmed Zargar, provincial president of the youth wing of the Opposition National Conference in Safakadal area of downtown Srinagar. He was there to condole the death of one his relatives. He was taken to a hospital but he died there. Mr. Mukhdoomi said Mr. Zargar had been provided with two security officers but they were not with him when the incident occurred.

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