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Top Congress leader escapes bid on life

Pradesh Congress General Secretary Abdul Gani Vakil escaped a militant bid on his life while six militants, four of them foreign mercenaries, were among eight persons killed in the Valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said militants attacked the house of Vakil at Nowpora Sopore late last night with automatic weapons. However, his guards returned the fire and foiled their attempt. One guard Zubair Ahmad was injured in the firing. The militants managed to escape.

He said militants fired upon two persons Mohammad Yaqoob Zargar and Imtiaz Ahmad at Sona Masjid in a down town area of Srinagar last evening using assault rifles. Both the injured later died in the hospital.

The spokesman said security forces killed one militant each at Halmatpora, Seriwalli Bahak Nowgam and Doomari Gali in the border district of Kupwara during overnight operations. A large cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK rifles, nine magazines, one grenade launcher, one wireless set, 64 grenades, four anti-tank and anti personnel mines, eight improvised explosive devices, three pipes with explosives, 33 detonators, two rocket launchers and more than 2000 rounds, were recovered from the slain militants.

He said two foreign mercenaries were gunned down at Chakrabar while another was killed by security forces at Chingus last evening. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition including three AK rifles, one pistol, one missile, six wireless sets, five remote control devices, 37 grenades and about 1000 rounds were recovered from them.

UNI

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