J&K govt conned by MLA's contacts

The Jammu and Kashmir government officially dismissed a news report carried by a national daily last week claiming that four foreign hostages kidnapped by the Al-Faran group would soon be exchanged for terrorists in jail. There is more to the story than that.

Senior J&K government sources said that state officials had been most optimistic when one member of the legislature approaching the intelligence department and said he had some dependable contacts who could mediate the swap of four hostages for 13 jailed militants, provided they were paid for it.

A huge sum of money was allegedly agreed upon and preparations began to "receive the four hostages". Over a dozen bullet-proof vehicles were ordered and clothes and shoes were organised. The state intelligence department also "avoided highlighting the deal".

The contacts pocked the money and then vanished. Panic gripped the officials and they quickly began trying to hush up whatever little information had leaked out.

Even state Director General of Police Gurcharan Jagat could say nothing on the matter because he knew little about the deal, sources said.

Meanwhile, thirteen militants, including four foreigners, and two soldiers were among 16 people killed while security forces captured five militants in the Kashmir valley since Monday night, a defence spokesperson said.

Troops killed four militants in a shootout in Badgam district early on Tuesday morning. The operation was going on when reports last came in.

In another case, troops who cordoned off Rang forest in the Baramulla district on Monday evening were fired upon by militants. Four militants were killed in the subsequent encounter. Four AK-56 rifles, seven magazines, four grenades, one wireless set, eight magazines and 120 rounds of ammunition were recovered, the spokesperson said.

Troops shot down one militant each at two villages in Kupwara on Monday evening. One AK-56 rifle, one pistol, one wireless set. One magazine and six rounds were recovered.

One militant surrendered along with his AK-56 rifle, one magazine, two grenades and 60 rounds of ammunition on Monday evening.

An official spokesman said three unidentified youth snatched Rs 200,000 from the cashier of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Seloo in Baramulla district on Tuesday.

A militant and a soldier were killed in an encounter at Karnah sector on Monday evening and security forces gunned down a militant at Chak-e-Natnusa during a search operation. A mercenary and a soldier was killed in an encounter with security forces at Ramtund on Monday evening. An unidentified body was also recovered from Pulwama on Tuesday morning, the spokesperson said.