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Pak resumes shelling of Kargil

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Panic gripped the border town of Kargil and thousands of residents took shelter in the underground bunkers after Pakistani shells hit the town this afternoon.

A senior police officer told Rediff On The Net on phone that over 30 shells landed in the town in the afternoon, triggering off panic, with residents running helter-skelter. However, he said, no one was injured. On condition of anonymity the officer said residents, including men, women and children, have taken shelter in the newly constructed underground bunkers. The town was deserted and some families were seen leaving for nearby safer places. The town was last hit by shells in December last year, when three civilians were wounded.

The residents in Kargil are facing a harsh winter this year in view of snowfall. The officer said shelling continued for three long hours. The last shell, he said, hit the town at 3 pm today. The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to tackle any emergency, the officer said.

So far over 1400 underground bunkers have been constructed by residents with the help of the administration in the town. More such bunkers will be constructed soon, he added. Pakistani troops have been targeting the town frequently during the past two years and so far over 30 civilians have died. The army also retaliated.

Meanwhile, five pro-government militants were gunned down by militants in Kashmir valley today where life was paralysed in view of a strike which coincided with the Kashmir solidarity day being observed in Pakistan. The strike evoked a complete response in Srinagar, Sopore and Baramullah, while it was partial in other towns. In the summer capital all shops, business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads.

Authorities had made tight security arrangements in the city and other towns. The separatist umbrella organisation, All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has said the struggle for right to self-determination will continue and has condemned the alleged security force atrocities in Kashmir. Government offices, banks remained closed in view of the strike in Srinagar.

The police in Srinagar said militants forced their entry in to a homes of two counter-insurgents at village Ratkote in Southern Anantnag district and sprayed bullets on the inmates, killing three pro-government militants. They later managed to escape. Troops stationed nearby rushed to the spot immediately. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the strike. Only yesterday militants, after entering a house at village Redwani in the same district, had shot dead three members of a family including the house-owner, who was suspected to be an informer.

Police officials admit that militants have been selectively targeting the pro-government militants as counter-insurgents are called in local parlance. At Nowpora village, near the northern apple town of Sopore, militants shot and killed a surrendered militant identified as Abdul Rahman during the wee hours of the morning. The police said militants gunned down another pro-government militant at Hawal in the old city while another special police officer received bullet injury at Nowshehra near Srinagar. The continued attacks on the pro-government militants has been worrying the authorities.

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