14 jawans, 3 civilians injured in Qazigund IED blast

KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Feb 15: Fourteen security force personnel and three civilians were injured when militants detonated a powerful IED at Qazigund in Anantnag district.

Elsewhere in the valley, three persons were killed and a woman injured in different militancy related incidents during the last 24 hours.

Police said militants detonated a powerful IED planted in a handcart when a convoy of security force was passing by at Qazigund Bazar in Anantnag district.

It exploded with a big bang causing injuries to 14 jawans and three civilians.

All the injured were immediately removed to hospital where the condition of some of them is stated to be critical.

Such was the impact of the blast that the security force vehicle suffered extensive damage.

Security forces later sealed off the area and massive operation was launched to track down the militants responsible for the incident.

Police said in an encounter between militants and security forces at Manigam, Ashmuqam in Anantnag, on ultra was killed.

A large quantity of arms and ammunitions was recovered from his possession.

Unidentified gunman killed Ashiq Hussian at Kawsoo on Sringar Tangmarg road when he was on his way to home.

He was a released militant.

Police today recovered a decomposed body from Bochu Nallah in Keeri.

Militants, police said fired at Asmat Mehraj at Drangbal causing injuries to her.

She has been admitted in the hospital.

Police said militants set ablaze three houses in Sonabari Kokerang.

A case has been registered and investigations started.

Police today claimed that two militants of Tehreek-e-Jehadi Islami and Al-Fateh at Watergam in Baramulla district.

Security forces have recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunitions from different hideouts raided during the last 24 hours across Kashmir.

Govt to arrange soft loans for transporters: Beig KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Feb 15: Government on Sunday agreed to the transporters' demand that they would arrange soft loan to finance purchase of new buses that would replace worn-out matadors plying in Srinagar city.

For this a bulk finance scheme is to be devised by the State's Economic Adviser Dr Haseeb Drabu, Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig said.

Mini-bus drivers said they have received notice to replace the matadors by better vehicles by the end of the next fiscal.

"Transporters under duress cannot afford to invest whopping amount especially at a time when advances to the transport sector are given at a whopping 17 percent interest", the transport leaders told Beig in a pre-budget meeting.

It was in this response that Beig asked Drabu to draft a bulk finance plan and later arrange it in the market at a low interest so that it suits the poor transporters.

Admitting that transporters suffered extensively during last 15 years especially on account of curfews, strikes and cordon and search operations, Beig said the government would go to the Prime Minister and try to get a suitable package for them.

He promised them a fair deal as far as concessions and exemptions on account of various taxes agreed by the earlier government are concerned.

Representing the case of transporters in the pre-budget meeting on Sunday - that KCCI had boycotted, Ghulam Mohammed Bhat of KMDA said the passenger bus business suffered a loss of Rs.

450 per day per bus during 1990-97 period.

"During Dr Abdullah's government, we were given full exemption on the arrears on account of Token Tax and Passenger Tax.

Later under SRO 278 the transporters were given 50 percent amnesty on arrears", Bhat said adding that the transporters want implementation of these promises.

He also demanded reduction of motor tax by 50 percent and waiver of penal interest.

Beig furious over tax evasion issue