J&K

Srinagar, Jan 22 (PTI) Two separatists were killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Heff area of Shopian district following information about presence of militants in the area, an Army official said.

He said the search operation turned into a gunbattle after militants opened fire on the security forces.

Jammu, Jan 20 (PTI) Two absconders, including a man accused of raping a woman 21 years ago, were arrested in separate operations in Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

The rape accused, identified as Shadi Lal, a resident of Butla village, was arrested from Bhaderwah in Doda district Saturday, a police official said.

He said Lal was wanted in a case registered by Bhaderwah police station in 1997 under Sections 376 (rape) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Ranbir Panel Code.

Jammu, Jan 19 (PTI) Expressing confidence that it will come to power on its own in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference Saturday ruled out any alliance in the upcoming assembly polls.

"Coalition culture does not suit a state like Jammu and Kashmir, which is confronted with numerous challenges with the people essentially craving for peace and normalcy, development and progress," NC's Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said.

Srinagar, Jan 19 (PTI) Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Altaf Bukhari, who was expelled by the PDP on Saturday, said he was happy over the party's decision.

"It has been a long association with PDP, especially with its founder Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. My association with this party has been enriching in many ways. It not only gave me a chance to work for my constituency, but provided me an opportunity to contribute my bit in the development across the nook and corner of the state," Bukhari said in a statement here.

Jammu, Jan 18 (PTI) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Friday reiterated that his party was committed towards ensuring regional autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir as it will assuage the aspirations of the people of all the regions.

The former chief minister sought a massive mandate for his party in the ensuing elections, saying a strong and stable government alone can steer Jammu and Kashmir to peace, progress and development.

Srinagar, Jan 19 (PTI) PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday sought the release of separatist leader Shahid-ul-Islam, who is in the NIA's custody, on humanitarian grounds as his wife was not feeling well.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over phone after reports of Islam's wife having suffered a brain hemorrhage emerged.

Jammu, Jan 16 (PTI) Batting for early assembly elections, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has said all political parties, except Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party, want early polls.

The governor, however, hastened to add that it is the Election Commission of India, which has the mandate to hold the polls and decide the schedule.

Jammu, Jan 15 (PTI) In a bid to build bridges between Raj Bhawan and Hurriyat Conference, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik Tuesday reached out to the separatist leaders urging them to apprise him directly of the cases of "atrocity and injustice" to common people that they may come across.

Malik made the offer with an appeal that the Hurriyat Conference leaders should not treat him as "an alien".

"I have a message for Hurriyat that they should not consider me as an alien," Governor Malik told PTI in an interview.

Jammu, Jan 15 (PTI) A BSF officer was killed on Tuesday in sniper fire from across the border in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials of the border guarding force said.

They said Assistant Commandant Vinay Prasad was hit by a sniper shot at about 10:50 am when he and his patrol party were out for "carrying out border domination" along the IB.

Srinagar, Jan 13 :  Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam was among the two Kashmiris killed by Indian security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

The two Kashmiris killed in the Katpora encounter have been identified as Zeenat-ul-Islam and Shakeel Ahmad Dar.

According to J&K police, Islam had switched over to Al-Badr from Hizbul Mujahideen in November last year following consensus between the two outfits to strengthen the Al-Badr.