Jammu and Kashmir Timeline - 2008

January 1

The Principal Sessions Judge of Jammu, J. R. Kotwal, convicted and sentenced an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, trained militant, Raja Muzaffar Ahmed, to undergo 18 years imprisonment.

January 2

The Principal Sessions Judge of Jammu, J. R. Kotwal, convicted and sentenced an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s external intelligence agency, trained militant, Raja Muzaffar Ahmed, to undergo 18 years imprisonment.

January 5

A top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) ‘commander’, Abu Muslim, was found dead at Seeldhar in the Gool area of Ramban district. While local people claimed that the militant had died due to illness, official sources said an exact reason is yet to be ascertained.

January 12

A LeT militant, identified as Farooq Ahmed Bhat, was killed by troops in the Bhagwah area of Doda district. Bhat was a ‘B’ grade militant active in Doda district since 2003.

January 14

Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah formally joined the secessionist conglomerate the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). Shah announced his decision in the presence of APHC chairman, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, at the martyrs’ graveyard at Idgah in capital Srinagar.

January 15

Security forces killed Abu Kital alias Abu Hamza, ‘district commander’ of the LeT, in an encounter in the Bandipora district.

January 21

A Special Police Officer, Mohammad Ashraf Khan, and an unidentified militant were killed in the Handwara town.

January 22

Apprehending a crackdown 20 years after he sneaked into Pakistan, the HM ‘commander-in-chief’, Syed Salahuddin, said that authorities in Islamabad cannot arrest him. "Pakistan cannot arrest me. I live on my own soil," said the United Jihad Council (UGC) chief in an interview posted on the Pakistan occupied Kashmir Website. Salahuddin, who ex-filtrated to Pakistan 20 years ago after his defeat in elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1987, did not give reasons why he apprehended his arrest. "We are not terrorists according to United Nations law," UJC leader claimed.

January 23

All the separatist and militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir have called for a general strike on January 26 and to observe the Republic day as "black day", while security arrangements have been tightened ahead of the occasion across the State.

January 24

A female militant of the LeT outfit, active for the last three years, was arrested by the Doda police. She was stated to be very close to LeT ‘divisional commander’, Shabir Ittoo, and actively worked for the outfit in Doda and its adjoining localities. Senior Superintendent of Police, Manohar Singh, while confirming the arrest said 23-year-old Samrina Bano, daughter of Ghulam Nabi Shah of Doda, was undergoing nurse training at the Health Department in Doda.

January 25

Bashir Ahmed Mir, the HuJI ‘commander-in-chief’ for operations across India was shot dead by police in the Doda district. Operating under the code-name "Hijazi," Pakistan-trained Mir is believed to have ordered a string of strikes across north and south-east India in 2007, including the court complex bombings in Uttar Pradesh, the bombing of the Ajmer Sharif shrine in Rajasthan, and the multiple bombings which took place in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

January 30

Four militant groups- the Al-Nasireen, Al-Arifeen, Al-Ishtaqlal and Al-Haq- have formed a joint platform called the Mutahida Mahaz Council (MMC) and announced to run a election boycott campaign under it. In a statement to a local news agency, Haji Barkatullah, joint spokesman of the militant groups, has said that he is the chairman of MMC. "Any action in Kashmir will not depend upon the statement of Hurriyat Conference or United Jihad Council. A decision about the actions will be taken by those militants who are active on ground as these very people are risking their lives fighting for the freedom movement. Therefore, we reject the statements of others and announce the election boycott campaign," he said.

February 1

One ‘battalion commander’ of the HM outfit, identified as Rahool Bhat, was shot dead by police personnel during another encounter at Tangbal under Yaripora police station in the Kulgam district.

February 2

Three top LeT militants, belonging to Pakistan, and two police personnel, including a constable and a Special Police Officer, were killed while soldier was injured as security forces foiled an infiltration attempt on Line of Control in the Ghani forests of Mendhar sector in Poonch district. The operation was still on till the reports last came in.

February 5

SFs shot dead two suspected LeT militants in an encounter at Bindi Gala, about three kilometers inside the Line of Control in the Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district.

February 7

A top militant of the LeT, identified as Showkat Ali alias Abu Haroon (set code Victor 6), surrendered before the Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu.

February 8

Three top LeT militants, suspected to be part of a group of seven infiltrators which had sneaked into the Indian side from Mendhar sector on February 2, were killed by the troops in an encounter at Kasbrari in the Poonch district. Three others had been killed on February 2.

February 10

A ‘commander’ of the HuM, Mohammad Fareed Achakzai alias Usman of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, was killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Sopore area of Baramulla district.

February 11

The toll of militants in the Kashmir Valley has decreased and presently it is less than thousand which is the lowest since inception of militancy, according to the CRPF. "According to our intelligence inputs, present number of militants in the Valley is 450," M. S. Gupta, the Inspector General (Operations) of CRPF said. Gupta said the inclusion of local youth in militancy has also decreased up to minimum. "This year the local recruitment in militancy was very minimal, 30 – 40 in entire Valley", he stated.

February 12

SF personnel shot dead three LeT militants in an encounter at village Sarhuti under the jurisdiction of Mendhar police station in the Poonch district. A fourth militant, however, is reported to have escaped from the incident site. With this, nine militants, including six infiltrators, have been killed in the past one week in Mendhar sector.

February 15

A top Pakistani militant of the LeT outfit involved in the November 23, 2007 bomb blasts in various courts across Uttar Pradesh was killed along with his associate in an encounter with police in the Pulwama district. Self-styled district commander Abdul Rahman alias Rehman Bhai, a Pakistani, and a local militant Moin Ahmed Mir were killed at Niloora-Aglar village. Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters that the slain LeT commander was involved in the November 23 blasts in Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow courts in which 13 civilians were killed.

February 17

The BSF personnel killed two infiltrators on the international border at Makwal sector along Niki Tawi area in the Jammu district.

February 20

The para-military CRPF said that around 700 to 800 militants are still active in the Kashmir valley. CRPF Inspector General S.K Jain told reporters that "According to our information based on intelligence inputs, around 700 to 800 militants are active in the valley." He also said that the violence level has drastically declined in the valley.

February 21

In a joint operation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Army killed three militants of the JeM outfit in the dense forest area of Batnar Kooligam in the snowbound Lolab valley region of Kupwara district.

February 22

Troops foiled a major infiltration bid when they shot dead two heavily armed militants who had infiltrated into the Indian side taking advantage of heavy snowfall at Rattapar Nar in the Keran sector of Kupwara district.

February 27

Two CRPF constables were shot dead by militants who ambushed a patrol party at Boonamaha village in the Pulwama district.

The Union Government said that terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir had registered a decline during the last two years. Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal stated in the parliament that in 2006, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 1667 terrorism-related incidents, which came down to 1092 in 2007.

February 29

SFs killed four militants of the HM in an encounter at Saidpora in the Shopian district. They were identified as Sayyar Ahmed Thokar and Riyaz Ahmed Thokar alias Abu Jihad, Sayyar Ahmed Bhat and Mohammad Iqbal, were killed.

March 2

Two Al-Badr militants, identified as district commander Janabaz Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani national, and Imtiyaz Ahmed Dar, were killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Chewdara area of Budgam district.

March 3

The BSF foiled an intrusion bid by killing a Pakistani intruder in the Akhnoor sector. An identity card recovered from the possession disclosed his identity as Sayeed Shahani Raja of Chherawali village of Gujranwala district in Pakistan.

March 4

Two persons, identified as Abdul Hamid and Jana, were killed and five others sustained injuries when a grenade exploded in a house in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

March 5

SFs killed a holed up militant in the overnight operation at Chitti Bandi in the Bandipora district. One militant had died in the initial round of firing and another was trapped inside a residential house. Sources said that troops destroyed the target hideout, killing the holed up militant. Official sources said that one of the two slain militants was identified as Abu Abdullah alias Mohammad Saleem, a Pakistani national. They stated that both the militants belonged to the LeT. A defence spokesman stated that both the militants were killed at a time when they were planning a strike on the former counter-insurgent and current legislator from Bandipora, Usman Majeed.

SFs killed two unidentified militants during an encounter on a snowbound track between Peth Wudar and Mooldari, Bangus, in the Handwara district.

March 6

Three members of a VDC member’s family, including his father and two minor daughters, were killed while the VDC member himself, Mushtaq Ahmed, was injured along with four other family members in a suspected grenade attack on his house at remote Soni Top in the Handar village of Reasi district.

March 7

The police unearthed a Hawala racket supplying money to the LeT operatives in the Kandi and Buddal areas of Rajouri district. The Police conducted series of raids in the Kandi area and arrested Zulfikar, brother of a slain HM militant Abdul Qayoom, who died in July 2007, and Muhammad Qadir of Larkuti, while they were purchasing shoes and other food items for militants operating in the area.

March 9

Mohammed Qasim alias Babbar, a HM ‘commander’ involved in a series of killings and other subversive activity, was killed by the SFs during an encounter at Chatroo in the Kishtwar district.

March 16

SFs killed Hafiz Naasir, one of the most wanted militants and the Kashmir valley chief of the LeT, in an encounter at village Chatlura near Sopore town in the Baramulla district. Lt. Col. M. S. Kadam, the officiating Commanding Officer of Rashtriya Rifles (22 Battalion), and another soldier, identified as Pradeep Kumar, are reported to have died and four SF personnel injured in the encounter. Hafiz Naasir, a Pakistani militant, had been appointed sometime in 2007 as LeT operational chief in Kashmir after working in the Valley for about ten years. Deputy Inspector General of Police (north Kashmir), Dr. B Srinivas, described Naasir as the most wanted militant in the Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts.

March 18

Security forces shot dead Jehangir Ahmed Bhat alias Chhota Jehangir, the HM’s Anantnag ‘District Commander’, in a joint operation at Dogripora in the Awantipore area of Pulwama district.

March 19

The Doda district police and Army shot dead four militants of the LeT outfit, including a ‘district commander’, in an encounter at Gwari Shah under the jurisdiction of Gandoh police station. Two police personnel sustained injuries in the operation. The slain militants were identified as ‘district commander’ Imtiaz Hussain alias Abu Turab, Sadam Hussain, Suraf Nawaz alias Mehnaz and Sagir Ahmed of Pakistan.

One person was killed and 16 sustained injuries when the HM attempted to blow up a part of the only flyover in the capital Srinagar with an IED blast.

The HM chief and chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), Syed Salahuddin, has said Pakistan could not stop supporting the Kashmiri militant groups. He admitted that Pakistan has continuously been providing both military as well as political support to the Kashmiri militants.

March 20

Muneer Ahmed Lali, a ‘battalion commander’ of the HM, was killed by the security forces at village Bazipora Ajas in the Bandipora district

March 21

Two children, Mohammad Afzal and Akram Ashraf, were killed in a grenade explosion in the Gawari area of Doda district. Police said that some unidentified militants lobbed a grenade near a house at Gawari village leading to the death of two boys who were playing near their house. Police sources added that the militants lobbed the grenade to avenge the killing of four LeT militants in the same area.

Police in Handwara arrested a militant, identified as Nazir Ahmad, responsible for bringing money from Pakistan for the HuM in north Kashmir.

March 23

Three police personnel and a CRPF constable died in an encounter with militants on the outskirts of capital Srinagar in which they succeeded in killing Abu Faisal of Pakistan, a ‘divisional commander’ of the LeT.

March 25

Bahar Din alias Zulfa, an ‘area commander’ of the HM outfit, was shot dead by the SFs in an encounter at village Moori in the Mahore area of Reasi district. He was operating in the Gool-Gulabgarh-Mahore belt for more than a decade.

March 27

Troops of the Rashtriya Rifle killed a militant in an encounter at Kota Satri forest area in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district.

Another militant was shot dead by the troops at Keran in the Kupwara district.

April 1

Four persons, including two top commanders of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and an Army soldier, were killed at Dudu Mirhama in the Anantnag district. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Nitish Kumar, said the slain commanders were identified as ‘divisional commander’ Aslam Khan alias Zia-ur-Rehman and ‘district commander’ Javaid Ahmad Lone alias Nazar.

April 1

Four persons, including two top commanders of the HM and an Army soldier, were killed at Dudu Mirhama in the Anantnag district. Senior SSP, Nitish Kumar, said the slain commanders were identified as ‘divisional commander’ Aslam Khan alias Zia-ur-Rehman and ‘district commander’ Javaid Ahmad Lone alias Nazar. In the encounter, Vijay Kumar of the Rashtriya Rifles and owner of the house, where the militants were hiding, Abdul Rashid Khan, were also killed, the SSP said, adding that Abdul Rashid Khan was an over-ground worker of the HM.

Militants attacked the house of a ruling PDP leader in the Sopore town of Baramulla district though no one was hurt in the incident.

April 2

SFs killed two militants of the JeM outfit, identified as Abu Hussain alias Saifullah and Abu Omar, both Pakistani nationals, during an operation at Arin Dardpora in the Bandipora district.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), S. M. Sahai, informed the media in Handwara that Police had arrested four top wanted militants of the HM. He said that ‘district commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed Malla alias Furqan was arrested over a specific information. Malla had reportedly been operating as a militant since 1990. His sustained interrogation led to the subsequent arrest of his successor ‘district commander’ Mudassar Shabir Ganai alias Ali alias Illyas, his close associate and HM ‘Financial Chief-cum-Launching Commander’ Nisar Abdullah Malik and ‘area commander’ Pervez Ahmed Wani alias Mubashir alias Saifullah.

April 3

The Handwara Police arrested Junaid-ul-Islam, the Kashmir-based spokesman of HM, from the neighbourhood of Jammu and Kashmir Police headquarters in the Karan Nagar area of capital Srinagar. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr B Srinivas, informed a press conference that Handwara Police conducted a raid in Srinagar and arrested HM ‘chief spokesman’ Abdul Khaliq Dar a.k.a. Junaid-ul-Islam a.k.a. Khalil-ur-Rehman a.k.a. Fazal-ur-Rehman early in the morning. According to Police records, Junaid-ul-Islam had crossed the Line of Control in 1990 to undergo training in guerrilla warfare at a HM camp in the PoK. He underwent training and later also handled training camps for fresh recruits and trainee HM militants. He was an ideologue and was also known for writing articles and his reactions to the articles of other authors in local newspapers, particularly in the Urdu weekly Chattan.

April 4

Militants killed both the constables of Police Station Sogam who had been abducted at Surigam in the Kupwara district a day earlier. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr B. Srinivas, said that dead bodies of the two constables, Tariq Ahmad Bhat and Nazir Ahmad Dar, were recovered from Gujar Patti. Police also said that the Imran Group of Al-Badr Mujahideen had kidnapped and later killed the constables.

April 6

Leaders of several militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir met in the Rawalpindi city of Pakistan and vowed to continue their jihad. The meeting, organised by the Pakistan-based Al-Badr Mujahideen at a mosque in Rawalpindi, was addressed by UJC and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen HM chief Syed Salahuddin, Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan and leaders of the LeT, Hizbi Islami-Kashmir and other jihadi groups. "The continuation of the jihad in Kashmir is linked with the survival of Pakistan," Salahuddin told the 500-strong gathering.

April 8

Two militants of the HM outfit, including a ‘divisional commander’, were killed by police during two separate encounters in the Doda and Kishtwar districts. The slain militants were identified as Ghulam Hussain Wani (code name Shameem Thool) alias Shameem Shahid, a ‘divisional commander’ of the outfit, and Mohammed Iqbal alias Haq Nawaz.

April 9

The SFs killed four militants of the HM outfit in an encounter in the Ghulabgarh area of Reasi district. They were identified as ‘area commander’ Mohammed Shafi alias Badshah Khan a.k.a. Gazi, Mohammed Rafiq alias Basharat, Talib Hussain and Munabar, all from the HM outfit.

SFs shot dead three militants, including a Pakistan national, in the Lolab area of Kupwara district. Three more militants of the group, however, managed to escape from the incident site. One of the slain militants has been identified as Ali Bhai, a ‘company commander’ of the Al-Badr Mujahideen, who, official sources said, was responsible for the killing of two constables in Kupwara on April 4.

The Doda Police killed a militant, identified as Javed Iqbal Bhat, near Gandoh.

Nearly one hundred militants are believed to have infiltrated into the Gurez and Lolab valley in Bandipora-Kupwara belt in the last five weeks. Official sources said that six to eight groups of militants - with as many as 10 to 20 militants in each group - have successfully crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and landed in the Gurez and Lolab valley in Bandipora and Kupwara districts of Kashmir valley since March 1, 2008.

April 12

The SFs in an encounter killed a ‘district commander’ of the LeT, identified as Shabir Ahmad Bhat alias Mansoor, at Peer Mohalla in the Chakura village of Pulwama district.

April 14

SFs killed a ‘district commander’ of the LeT in an encounter in the Harwan area of Srinagar. He was identified as Zakaria, a Pakistani militant.

April 19

The SFs in a day long gun battle killed four heavily armed militants in the Rang forest area, about 6-km ahead of Warnow in the Kupwara district. Three of the slain militants, residents of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, were identified as Amjad Bhai, Abu Saifullah and Irshad Ahmed. While Amjad Bhai was a top wanted ‘district commander’ of the JeM who had been operating in the Lolab area for the last six years, Abu Saifullah and Arshad were both LeT cadres.

April 23

Two HM ‘commanders’ in north Kashmir -Tanvir Ahmed Zargar and Imtiyaz Ahmed Khan – were killed by the SFs in a 12-hour-long gun-battle in the outskirts of Baramulla town. A constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, Mushtaq Ahmed Fafoo, and a civilian, Ghulam Qadir Mir, were wounded in the incident.

The Reasi district police killed a ‘battalion commander’ and ‘financial chief" of the HM outfit, identified as Abdul Haq alias Jahangir, in an encounter at village Kallian. Senior Superintendent of Police, J. L. Sharma, stated that he was the longest surviving militant in Reasi district and was operating since 1993.

April 24

Following a six-hour long encounter, two HM militants were killed at Zachaldara in the Handwara area of Kupwara district. They were identified as Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Bhat alias Sajjad and Mohammad Ramzan Rishi alias Nazir.

April 25

Two HM militants were killed by the security forces in an encounter at village Banj in the Ramban district. They were identified as Mushtaq Ahmed (code name Babar), a resident of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir, and Abu Hazla, a Pakistani national.

In an effort to ensure early return of Kashmiri migrants displaced due to militancy in 1989-90 in the Valley, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced a series of projects worth INR 1600 crore for them including housing, job facilities and waiver of interest on loans. Addressing a public meeting at Army Ground near Akhnoor town after dedicating the newly constructed Chenab Bridge to the people, Dr. Singh said the benefits of the package will apply to all Kashmiri migrant families who had left the Valley with "bag and baggage after 1989 and have not been able to return." In his address, the Prime Minister noted that more than 55,000 Kashmiri families had been "forced to leave their homes in the wake of unfortunate events." They (the migrants) were an "integral part of the composite social fabric" of the Valley and their return would address a "major humanitarian concern that has been crying for attention over the years’’, he added.

April 28

Two local militants of the HM, one of whom was the outfit’s financial chief, were killed in an encounter with the SFs in the Pattan area of Baramulla district. The slain militants were identified as Zahoor Ahmad Waza alias Zee Shan, financial chief, and Mohammad Yousuf Bhat alias Muneer.

April 29

Sajjad Afghani, the Jammu and Kashmir chief of HuM, was shot dead by the Police in a gun-battle at Sopore Sub District Hospital in the Baramulla district. Before shifting his base to Sopore, Afghani had reportedly operated in the Kupwara area for several years. He was allegedly involved in over a dozen armed attacks on security forces, Police and soft targets in north Kashmir in the last 10 years.

A top Pakistani militant of the LeT, Mohammed Maqbool alias Abu Hamza, and a police constable, Kikkar Singh, were killed in an encounter at village Muslai in the Kishtwar district. Abu Hamza was active in the Kishtwar and Doda districts for the last four to five years and had been rated as ‘A’ category militant.

April 30

India was among the countries worst affected by terrorism with militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and in the Northeast, attacks by Naxalites and attacks elsewhere in the country taking a toll of more than 2,300 lives in 2007, the US State Department said. The State Department, in its annual report on terrorism, said terrorist activities along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir are on the decline but Pakistan-based militant outfits like the LeT and other terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in the Valley. "Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba and other Kashmir-focused groups continued regional attack planning. In 2007, Kashmir-focused groups continued to support attacks in Afghanistan, and operatives trained by the groups continued to feature in Al-Qaeda transnational attack planning," it said.

May 3

A group of three HM militants abducted two civilians, Bashir Ahmed, a PHE employee and Imtiyaz Ahmed, a surrendered militant, from their houses at village Kuchaal in the Kishtwar district and subsequently killed them.

May 9

The BSF foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of militants from the international border at Ragwal village in the Samba sector. BSF sources said "this was possibly the first attempt of infiltration after cease-fire in which militants and their supporters fired more than 1000 rounds," adding that the militants escaped back to Pakistan following effective retaliatory action.

May 11

Four civilians, two soldiers and two LeT militants were killed in an encounter in the Samba town of Jammu. Among the slain civilians were chief photographer of Daily Excelsior Ashok Sodhi, a prominent leader from Samba Hoshiar Singh and his wife, and another woman. 16 SF personnel and two women were injured in the day long gun-battle. Official sources said that two militants wearing Army uniform intruded into the house of Hoshiar Singh, general secretary of Indian National Democratic Party, in Samba town at 5.58am (IST) by scaling the boundary wall. After killing Hoshiar Singh and his wife on the spot, the militants subsequently moved towards the Kaili Mandi area and took hostage three women and two children. In the consequent encounter, two soldiers, Aziz Ahmed and Atul Negi, and a woman were killed. At about 5pm, the SFs stormed the house where the militants were hiding and shot dead both of them.

Two unidentified militants died in an encounter with the SFs in the forest area of Garbar in Kupwara district.

May 12

With a third militant killed by Army in Samba in the Jammu district, intelligence agencies have indicated that a group of at least 9-10 militants might have succeeded in infiltrating into the Indian side after cutting fencing from Regal in the Samba sector on May 8-night when the BSF claimed to have foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of militants.

May 13

Police shot dead two LeT militants, who were heading to receive the group which had infiltrated from Samba sector, at village Pallai in the Doda district. One of the slain militants was identified as LeT ‘commander’ Farhat Hussain alias Mochi while another militant was reportedly an unidentified Pakistani.

May 16

In an encounter at Kuta in the Baramulla district, the Police killed one ‘district commander’ of the LeT, identified as Tanvir of Punjab in Pakistan, while two more, including the most wanted Pakistani commander Raheemullah, managed to escape. Police said that Tanvir was active in the Baramulla-Bandipore area since 2003.

Admitting that the border guards could not fully foil the intrusion bid by the Pakistani terrorists in the Samba sector on May 9, the Director General of BSF, A K Mitra, said that 1000 additional troops would be immediately deployed on the International Border with Pakistan to plug the vulnerable areas. He also informed the media that four infiltration attempts were made from the International Border during 2008 so far.

May 17

The SFs in an encounter at Laru Jageer in the Tral area of Pulwama district killed six JeM militants while at least four militants, two of them injured, managed to escape. Two of the dead militants were identified as the top wanted JeM ‘district commander’ Waseem Hassan Ahanger alias Qari Asif and his close associate Mohammad Yousuf Bhat alias Prince.

May 18

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that terrorists have to be neutralised as otherwise they will kill innocents. "How can you initiate talks with terrorists, who after attaining training from across the border, come to kill you. Either you have to kill him, otherwise you will be killed," Azad said, while speaking at a function in Jalandhar in Punjab.

May 19

Violating the cease-fire along the LoC in the Poonch sector, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked heavy firing on a forward Indian post killing one trooper. This is the third cease-fire violation along the India-Pakistan border and second along the LoC in less than a fortnight.

May 21

The Government formally released 10 Afghan militants for the first time in two decades of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The Afghani militants were set free from three different jails and a police station and were driven overnight to New Delhi amidst tight security arrangements, official sources said. While four foreign mercenaries were freed from the Sangroor jail in Punjab, three others were released from the Kot Bhalwal Central jail in Jammu. Two militants were set free from the Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan while one militant was released from the Ramgarh police station in Samba district. All the 10 militants are reported to have subsequently left for Kabul.

Chairman of one of the factions of the separatist APHC, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, ruled out his conglomerate's participation in the Legislative Assembly elections and invited three of his estranged colleagues - Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik and Sajjad Gani Lone - back to join his organisation in "larger interest of the freedom movement."

May 25

A HM militant, identified as Kafayat Ullah Tak, was killed in an encounter with the SFs at Bari under the jurisdiction of Assar police station in Doda district. However, his associate, identified as ‘section commander’ Abdul Qayoom Beig, managed to escape from the incident site in an injured condition, Senior Superintendent of Police Manohar Singh said.

May 29

Security forces shot dead a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the LeT outfit and his woman associate, who was also an active militant, in an encounter at Khandipura under the jurisdiction of Doda police station in Doda district. The slain couple was identified as Shabir Ahmed Ittu a.k.a. Abu Rizwan and Samreena Bano.

June 2

Security forces killed two militants of the LeT in an encounter at Dar Mohalla in the Bandipora district.

Two more militants of the LeT were killed in an encounter with the troops at Dangarpora in the Baramulla district. Officials identified the slain militants as Abu Mujahid alias Abdullah and Abu Khalid alias Haji, both Pakistanis.

Security forces killed two LeT militants, identified as ‘district commander’ Usman Bhai and Abu Jibran, while retaliating to an ambush by the militants at Chottipora in the Handwara area.

June 3

SFs shot dead three top militants of the LeT at Peer Gali in the Rajouri district. The militants were heading towards Kashmir from the Pir Panjal mountain when they were intercepted by the SF personnel and subsequently killed. The encounter was continuing till last reports came in as two more militants were holed-up in the area.

June 4

The Jammu Police arrested three militants of newly formed outfit ‘Panj Pardhani Group’ along with a large quantity of arms and ammunition from Dumi Malpur in the Kanachak area along Jammu-Akhnoor road and foiled their plot to kill two religious preachers of Punjab—Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Pyara Singh Baniyarawala. Arms and ammunition recovered from their possession include one AK-56 rifle with two magazines and 150 rounds, five Chinese pistols with five magazines and 93 rounds. A large quantity of literature, written in Punjabi, including photographs of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala, mobile telephones, diaries carrying telephone numbers of their contacts in different States and some other documents were also recovered from a car in which the three militants were travelling. They were identified as Malkeet Singh, Surjeet Singh and Harbans Singh.

All three militants, who hailed from the Barnala district of Punjab, had collected a consignment of arms and ammunition from an unidentified smuggler at Akhnoor, who had received the consignment from across the border. The consignment of arms was reported to have been sent from Pakistan by Ranjeet Singh Neeta. Further, a ring leader of the Panj Pardhani Group, based in Barnala, has been identified by police on the basis of preliminary questioning of three militants.

June 8

Army intercepted a group of infiltrating militants on the LoC in the Keran sector of Kupwara district and killed at least two of them. Troops noticed the movement of a 10-member group of heavily armed militants who crossed the LoC in Keran sector and reached close to Budnambal. In the subsequent gun battle, troops shot dead two militants and are looking for the other militants of the group.

June 13

Five security personnel, including an Army officer, Lt. Col. K. Rajendra, his two personal security officers and two General Reserve Engineering Force personnel were shot dead by militants in an ambush at Watsar village near Sinthan in the Kishtwar district. Militants also decamped with two AK rifles from the incident site. Police suspected that the number of militants was between six to eight, with half of them being foreign mercenaries. The LeT reportedly has significant presence in the area.

June 14

Two militants of HM’s Saquib Group, including one identified as Aiyaz Ahmad Shah alias Janbaz who had abducted and killed down two CRPF personnel last month, were killed during in an encounter at village Narpora in Kellar area in Shopian-Pulwama belt of South Kashmir. The other slain militant was identified as Bajeer Kalas. Two security force personnel including a constable and one Assistant Sub-Inspector sustained injuries.

June 19

Troops foiled a major infiltration attempt on the LoC at Salhutri in the Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district killing five suspected LeT militants while two others managed to escape. Reports said Pakistan army was also reported to have fired some shots on the Indian side.

June 19-20

The SFs killed four militants in an encounter in the Kupwara district.

June 20

Security forces killed a Pakistani commander of the LeT, identified as Mehboob Ahmad Afridi alias Jugnu alias Faisal, in an operation at Khoipora in the Handwara area of Kupwara District. He was reportedly functioning as the "district commander" of LeT in Sopore.

June 21

Four militants were killed by the Army as they foiled an infiltrating group’s attempt to enter into the Jumagund area of Keran sector in Kupwara district.

Two LeT militants, Abu Shams and Abu Javed, and one Central Reserve Police Force constable, K. C. Sahu, were killed and four security force personnel wounded at Shopribagh in the Hazratbal-Ganderbal belt of Srinagar.

Two LeT militants, identified as Nazir Ahmed alias Abu Mohammad and Pakistani Abdullah, were killed by the troops during an encounter at Nariwan forest of Pir Panjal mountain range in the Shopian-Rajouri belt. Abu Mohammad was LeT's ‘divisional commander’ for Rajouri-Poonch belt.

June 27

Two militants of the LeT outfit and two soldiers were killed in a daylong gun battle between militants and the Army at Khachpathri, near Kangan, in the Ganderbal area of Srinagar. Both the militants killed were unidentified but believed to be Pakistani cadres of the LeT. However, LeT spokesman, Abdullah Ghaznavi, said that five Army officials, including an officer, got killed. He claimed at 7:00 pm (IST) that none of the militants had got killed but said that the gun battle was still underway.

June 29

Three militants and two soldiers were killed in a 48-hour-long gun-battle between the two sides at Kachpathir Mamar. Three AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

July 1

An Army officer and two infiltrators were killed in an encounter near the Line of Control at Roshi post near Karnah sector. One AK rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

July 2

One JCO of the Rashtriya Rifles and 11 militants were killed in two encounters between militants and Army in the Kupwara district in the last 48 hours. Troops intercepted a 15-member group of armed militants while infiltrating into the Valley from Pakistan occupied Kashmir, close to Roshni Post on the LoC in Karnah sector during the night intervening June 30 and July 1. In the ensuing encounter, one JCO, identified as Dehan Singh, was killed. Six militants were killed in retaliation while others escaped.

Security forces also spotted another group of militants which was moving towards Bari Behak, close to Nishan Post on the Kupwara-Tangdar Road. In the consequent encounter five militants were killed.

21 persons sustained injuries when a grenade was lobbed on the mob holding demonstration in protest against the Government’s decision of revoking the order of land transferred to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in Seri Bazaar of Bhaderwah.

July 3

Anantnag District Police and Army personnel killed Abu Aatif alias Shadaakh, Pakistani ‘divisional commander’ of the LeT, along with his Pakistani bodyguard, Syed Moin, during an encounter at Niaina Batpora village in Pulwama-Anantnag belt in south Kashmir and arrested a young woman, Mubeena Akhtar, believed to be Abu’s wife.

July 4

At least five Army personnel were killed in an ambush by militants in the Kupwara district. They were identified as Ranvir Singh, Krishna, Manaram, Ruper Singh and Y. Munendra. In retaliation, troops shot dead one militant.

July 5

SFs killed a hardcore militant of the LeT at Panjan Gali under the jurisdiction of Doda police station. The militant was identified as Tawheed Ahmed Bhat of Doda.

July 6

One of the 21 persons wounded in a grenade attack on protesters in the Bhaderwah town on July 2, succumbed to his injuries in the Government Medical College and Hospital on July 6-evening.

July 7

Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after speaking on his motion of confidence but withdrawing it on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.

July 8

Two LeT militants were killed in an encounter with the SFs at Shumriyal village in the Kupwara district. However, three others managed to escape from the incident site.

July 10

In a case relating to the killing of five General Reserve Engineer Force officers, including Lt Col Ajay Verma, at Watsar in the Kishtwar district on June 13, 2008, police arrested seven militants of the HuJI and was searching for four others. The seven militants were identified as Ghulam Hassan Dangar, Abdul Wahid, Mohammed Hussain, Ghulam Hassan, Noor Din, Irshad Ahmed and Mohammed Qasim.

July 14

A Special Police Officer (SPO), Manzoor Ahmed, was killed while two other SPOs, Babu Ram and Naseeb Singh, were wounded as two militants lobbed two grenades outside the District Police Lines in Doda. Both the militants, later identified by the police as Zaved Ahmed and Shabir Ahmed, escaped from the incident site.

July 15

The police in Bandipora district arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’, identified as Ali Lone alias Azad. One AK-47 rifle, six AK rounds and one wireless set were recovered from his possession.

Police in Shopian district arrested one over ground worker of the Al Badr outfit. Muzaffar Ahmad Chopan of Reshipora was detained along with 126 rounds of Pika rifle.

July 16

Two militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit and a Special Police Officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed and approximately 22 security force personnel sustained injuries in an 18-hour-long gun-battle at Warpora village on the Sopore-Bandipora Road. Officials later said that the slain militants were identified as Hilal Ahmed Sofi of Warpora and a Pakistani militant, namely Ali Mohammad Raza.

SFs killed three unidentified militants on the outskirts of Bhaderwah town in Doda district. A police constable Sandeep Kumar sustained injuries in the incident.

Militants abducted two civilians and shot dead one of them, identified as Ghulam Mohammed, at Bagla Bharat in the Doda district. The other civilian, Hakim Din, has reportedly managed to escape from the militants’ captivity.

Militants targeted the District Police Lines in Doda town opening firing on the Sentries on guard duty injuring one of them. After an exchange of firing which continued for about half an hour, the militants reportedly escaped.

July 18

A civilian was killed and another injured while a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member was still in captivity of the militants at Dudu Basantgarh in the Udhampur district.

30 civilians and six soldiers were injured when a militant lobbed a grenade on a Central Reserve Police Force vehicle in the Banihal town of Ramban district.

July 19

Ten soldiers were killed and 18 more sustained injuries when militants destroyed a bus of the security forces in an IED blast at Narbal Crossing in the outskirts of capital Srinagar. A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) spokesman, Junaid-ul-Haq, contacted newspaper offices in Srinagar and claimed that militants of his organization had destroyed the Army vehicle, killing a number of soldiers.

The Army foiled an infiltration attempt while killing at least five militants in an encounter on the Line of Control in Kupwara district.

July 20

An Army Major and a policeman were killed and three SF personnel were injured in an encounter with the militants at Jarh Wali in the Rajouri district. The SFs had launched an operation after receiving information from three militants arrested at the Jammu Railway Station a day earlier that Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) ‘commander’ Azasa Shah alias Hujefa along with his three body-guards was hiding in the house of Mohammed Sharif at Jarh Wali. In the ensuing encounter, while Major Bhanu Partap and policeman Anjeev Rana were killed and three soldiers wounded, Azasa Shah and his associates managed to escape.

Militants attacked a group of Amarnath pilgrims, killing one pilgrim and a local youth in an explosion in Gulmarg. Inspector General of Police (Operations), B. Srinivas, said that militants lobbed a hand grenade on a 10-member group of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, who had completed their pilgrimage and were visiting the tourist location of Gulmarg.

A civilian, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed, was shot dead by two militants in his house at village Tulli in the Reasi district.

SFs killed two militants in an encounter that ensued after a cordon-and-search operation at Chali Wan in the Bandipora district. The slain militants were later identified as ‘launching commander’ Abu Zaid alias Abu Zarr alias Abu Zubair, a foreign militant of the LeT in Bandipora, and Gowhar Ahmad alias Akash, a local militant of the Al Badr outfit.

In another encounter, the troops killed a HM militant, identified as Abdur Rasheed alias Haroon, at Wudar Bala in Handwara.

SFs foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of militants at Doba Post in the Poonch district. As the troops challenged the intruding militants, an encounter ensued in which a Border Security Force trooper, Ganga Dhar, was wounded. The militants managed to escape from the incident site.

July 21

Both the Pakistani militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who had attacked the Amarnath Yatra convoy and its paramilitary protection on July 20-evening, were killed by the SFs on July 21. The slain militants were identified as Syed Abid Ahmed alias Akash a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan and Sageer Ahmed Shah, a resident of Abbotabad in Pakistan.

Violating the four-year-old cease-fire, Pakistani troops fired twice in a day at a forward Indian post of Doba in the Sawjian area of Poonch district injuring two Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers. Out of the two, BSF head constable Bhanwar Singh is reported to have later died. According to intelligence sources, firing occurred in the morning and evening and both the times, the Pakistani troops tried to give cover to militants, who made attempts to infiltrate into India through the Doba post manned by the 192 Battalion of the BSF. In the morning firing, though BSF soldier Ganga Dhar sustained injuries, the BSF foiled the infiltration bid. In the evening incident, Bhanwar Singh sustained serious injuries and later died at the Army hospital in Poonch.

July 24

Five people of the same family, including four children, were killed and 18 persons were injured when militants lobbed a grenade at the crowded Batmaloo bus stand in the capital Srinagar. The victims belonged to a family of migrant labourers boarding a bus for Jammu for onward journey to their native places. The deceased were identified as 12-year-old Khushboo and her three brothers Adil (4), Qayoom (5), and Ajoob (8), all children of Mohammad Afroze of Bihar. The mother Rubina was also killed.

In the Doda district, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militants shot dead four members of the family of a surrendered militant. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Raghubir Singh, said the militants intruded into the house of Ghulam Hassan Wani, the surrendered militant, in Bari Marmat village, and opened indiscriminate firing on the inmates killing three persons on the spot and injuring two others. Among the dead were Ghulam Hassan Wani, his wife Azeema Begum, 13-year old daughter Ashiva Bano and nephew Tauseef.

Violence was reported from Jammu city even as an indefinite curfew was imposed in the city and surrounding areas. Defiance of curfew orders resulted in injuries to at least 35 persons including a large number of security force personnel. The death of Kuldip Kumar, a 32-year-old protester on July 23 who was sitting on a hunger strike in support of the demand for restoration of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board was reportedly the prime instigation for a fresh round of violence.

July 26

In yet another incident of cease-fire violation, Pakistani troops fired heavily at an Indian forward post in the Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district. A Defence spokesman said that some unidentified militants fired three rounds from a Rocket Propelled Gun on the Indian post in Nangi Tekri area of Krishna Ghati sub-sector. Immediately after this, there was heavy firing by Pakistani troops from a nearby post, across the Line of Control (LoC). The spokesman added that Indian troops exercised restraint and did not retaliate. This is sixth incident of cease-fire violation by Pakistani troops in the Poonch sector in the last one month.

July 27

SFs killed two militants - Abdullah, ‘Battalion Commander’ of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Abu Baker of Jaish-e-Mohammed - in an encounter at village Gujarpati Surigam in the Kupwara district. Abdullah was reportedly involved in killing of two policemen in the Sogam area of Kupwara district in May 2008.

July 28

At least one soldier was killed in a gun-battle as Defence authorities claimed that Pakistani troops violated the November 2003 cease-fire between India and Pakistan with crossing over to the Indian side on the Line of Control (LoC). Defence spokesman, Colonel A. K. Mathur, said that the Indian Army noticed movement of a group of 10 to 12 Pakistani soldiers at Kayian Bal in Leepa Valley at 1530 hours (IST). According to him, Pakistani soldiers crossed the LoC and opened fire when they were challenged to halt. He said that one Indian soldier, identified as Mahesh, was killed. He said that the Indian troops retaliated and forced the Pakistani soldiers to retreat.

A 30-year-old civilian, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, succumbed to critical injuries at the SKIMS hospital in capital Srinagar. He was among 30 civilians who had sustained injuries in a grenade blast at the General Bus Stand in Batmaloo on July 24. One woman and all four of her young children were killed in the explosion.

July 30

A post on the Indian side was again attacked by Pakistani troops from across the border in Nowgam sector in the Kupwara district. "Yes, there has again been a violation of the cease-fire by the Pakistani troops," a Defence Ministry spokesman said. He said Pakistani troops again opened indiscriminate fire from across the border in the same Nowgam sector where the two Armies exchanged fire for about 12 hours before the flag meeting on July 29. The spokesman said there had been no report of any casualty in the fresh firing.

August 1

A youth, identified as Abdul Rashid, was abducted and subsequently killed by the militants at Bala Angrala under the jurisdiction of Mahore police station in Reasi district.

August 2

A youth was killed by unidentified militants at Gool in the Ramban district.

August 3

An ‘operations commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Abdul Rashid, surrendered before the security forces in village Banj Bhim Dessa in the Ramban district. From his possession, the troops recovered one AK rifle with 60 AK rounds, three magazines and two grenades.

August 6

Pakistani troops violated the cease-fire yet again on the Line of Control (LoC) when they targeted three Indian forward pickets with small arms fire. A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said that at 1200 hrs Pakistani troops attacked two BSF and one Army forward post in Nowgam sector with small arms. The firing continued for about 20 to 30 minutes, he said adding there was no damage to post or injury to troops in the firing. This was for the third time during the past fortnight, that Pakistani troops violated the cease-fire in the sector.

August 8

An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces (SFs) in Kupwara district. An official spokesman said that the SFs launched an operation at Bawan-Watsar village of Handwara where an encounter took place with the militants. The hiding militants opened fire and in the ensuing encounter, a militant was shot dead.

August 10

Security forces recovered 3.6 kg RDX from Korha Kupar forests in the Udhampur district. Based on specific information, Army and police conducted a joint search operation in the forests at 7.10 am (IST) and recovered the RDX, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami said.

August 11

Pakistan army troops lobbed mortars and targeted small arms fire at an Indian post in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, breaching a November 2003 cease-fire agreement between the two countries for the 22nd time since January 2008. While no casualties were reported from the Indian side, the Indian troops are reported to have retaliated with controlled firing to counter the Pakistani fire. "Pakistani troops lobbed 60-mm mortars and continued with small arms fire at the Poonch Indian post from 12.30 hours to 13.30 hours this afternoon," said Army’s spokesperson in Srinagar Lt Col A. K. Mathur. The fire from Pakistani troops came from their Rawlakot posts and it went on intermittently during the one-hour period of exchange between the two sides, Army sources said.

A top Lashkar-e-Toiba ‘commander’ surrendered before the security forces in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district. He has been identified as Rashid Ahmed, an ‘A’ category militant and ‘tehsil commander’ of the outfit.

Five persons, including senior Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, were killed when the security forces opened fire at several places in the Kashmir Valley to stop thousands of people from marching to Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Over 230 people are reported to have sustained injuries. The protesters took to the streets to break the "economic blockade" of the Valley imposed by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti that is leading the Amarnath land agitation.

August 12

The Border Security Force troops shot dead a Pakistani infiltrator along the India-Pakistan border in the Chilyari belt of Samba district.

Security forces opened fire across Jammu and Kashmir, in which 15 protesters were killed. Some of the worst violence was reported from capital Srinagar, where six protesters were shot dead, in day-long skirmishes between mobs and police. Police killed three more protesters in the central Kashmir town of Lasjan, where police said Islamist-led rioters had attempted to storm the home of the former Minister and People’s Democratic Party legislator Javaid Ahmad Mir. A police officer was also seriously injured in the firing, which officials said was initiated by Mir’s panicked bodyguards. Soldiers killed three more protesters, including a woman, near the north Kashmir town of Paribal. A spokesperson for the Srinagar-based 15 Corps said the protesters, who were throwing stones at an isolated military picket, refused to disperse despite repeated appeals. A protester was killed in Anantnag, although confirmation on the cause of his death was not available. Police in the remote mountain town of Kishtwar killed two members of a mob that attacked homes belonging to the region’s Hindu minority.

August 13

Militants shot dead a former village headman, Bashir Ahmed, in his house at village Pasna in the Kishtwar district.

A top Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, ‘commander’ Abdul Rashid alias Abdullah, surrendered before the security forces in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district and handed over one Pika gun with one ammunition box. Abdullah was reportedly an ‘A’ category militant and was active since 2002.

August 14

Pakistan army resorted to heavy firing on the Line of Control (LoC) again violating the cease-fire at Kanari Post in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district. However, no casualties were reported.

Resorting to cease-fire violation again on the eve of Independence Day, Pakistani troops fired mortars and rockets at the Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF) positions at two different places in R S Pura and Mandi areas of Jammu region. The two incidents occurred within six hours along the International Border in R S Pura sector and the Line of Control near Mandi in Poonch sector. A defence spokesman said that in both the incidents of truce violations, no damage was caused or casualties were reported on the Indian side. With these two incidents, the number of cease-fire violations by Pakistan army since January 2008 has reached 20.

August 15

SFs killed a top militant of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, identified as Shamas Din, in the Mahore area of Reasi district. Two hand grenades, one IED circuit, one solar charger, one binocular and one pouch were recovered from the incident site.

August 16

Troops killed two HM militants in the Chatru area of Kishtwar district. The slain militants were identified as Imran alias Haris and Fareed Ahmed alias Jamsheed. Two AK rifles and 12 magazines were recovered from their possession.

The security forces foiled a bid by the militants to infiltrate into the Indian side of Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri Sector. In the exchange of firing, one soldier was killed and two infiltrating militants were either killed or injured.

The troops killed an unidentified militant in the Handwara area of Kupwara district during an encounter. One Ak 47 rifle, three AK magazines and 53 rounds of AK ammunition were recovered from his possession.

A civilian, Mohamed Yusuf, was abducted and subsequently killed in captivity by the militants in Kinker Top in the Kishtwar district.

August 17

The body of a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant was recovered from the Chontimula forest area in Bandipora district. The militant was identified as Liyat Khan alias Harris, a resident of Surender in Bandipora district, police sources said. One AK rifle, two magazines and 30 rounds were recovered from near the body.

Over 2,000 migrant labourers hailing from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other States, reached the Jammu railway station in about 20 buses on August 17-morning and boarded trains for their natives places, after being threatened by Islamist fundamentalists. Swarms of migrant labourers, while talking to The Tribune, said: "Since August 10, fanatics have been issuing diktats and forcing us to either join the Muzaffarabad march or face consequences." Announcements were reportedly being made warning non-state subjects to immediately leave the valley or get killed.

August 22

Five militants and three soldiers, including a Commanding Officer of the Rashtriya Rifles, were killed when the troops foiled an infiltration attempt in the Nawanar area of Machail Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district.

A soldier of the Territorial Army was killed and another sustained injuries when militants opened indiscriminate firing at them in the Najiwan area of Ganderbal district.

The Pakistan Army once again violated the cease-fire on LoC at Jabran Gali in the Keri sector of Rajouri district. Official sources said rockets were fired by Pakistan from 9 pm to 10 pm (IST) at Jabran Gali. The Indian side, however, did not retaliate.

August 23

With the security forces killing eight more militants in the Machhil sector of Kupwara district, the death toll of the militants in the two-day long operation in the area increased to 13. A Defence spokesman said that during the search and cordon operation in the forest areas of Machhil, the troops were fired upon by some militants in the early hours of August 23. The troops retaliated and in the ensuing encounter, eight militants were killed. This was the first major encounter with militants in the hinterland, the spokesman said, adding reports have suggested a steep increase in infiltration attempts by militants and LoC violations by the Pakistan troops.

A LeT militant, identified as Aijaz Ahmed Wagay, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Btnar-Lolab in the Kupwara district. An AK assault rifle, three AK magazines, 122 rounds of AK ammunition, two hand grenades and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession.

August 24

A 72-hour-long gun battle in the forests of Machil sector in the Kupwara district ended on August 24. An official spokesman said that on the third day of the operation, the troops launched search and cordon operations in the forest area of Machil sector. In the ensuing encounter, one more militant was killed raising the militants’ death toll in the three-day long gun-battle to 14. Three Army personnel, including Commanding Officer Colonel J. J. Joseph, have also been killed in the stretched encounter while four soldiers sustained injuries. This was the longest operation during 2008 in north Kashmir, the spokesman said.

August 25

Security forces killed four militants in an encounter which ensued after a search operation in the Gulmarg sector of Baramulla district.

Four persons were killed and about 200 injured as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army opened fire on protesters, who defied curfew and staged demonstrations, at several places in Kashmir. The authorities also detained secessionist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to stop them from marching to the Lal Chowk in the capital Srinagar to take out an "independence" rally. The deaths reportedly occurred in Handwara, Pulwama, Narbal and Hajin. As thousands of people from these areas took out processions to come here to take part in the rally, defying curfew, the CRPF and the Army tried to stop them by bursting teargas shells. Later, they opened fire. While a boy and a youth were killed in Narbal and Pulwama, a woman died in Handwara. A protester, who sustained injuries in Hajin, died later. Sub Divisional Police Officer of Sumbal, Harmeet Singh, said that in Hajin, militants sneaked into the crowd and opened fire at the cavalcade of the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora. The officer was rescued and 50 police and CRPF personnel were injured in the clashes, he added.

August 26

A soldier was killed and another was injured when a security force patrol party was attacked by the militants at Waziran in the Kupwara district. The militants later managed to escape from the incident site.

Pakistan Army fired rockets on the LoC in the Sabjian area of Poonch sector injuring five Border Security Force officials, including a Sub Inspector.

August 27

Eleven persons, including three Army soldiers, five civilians and three militants, were killed while six others, including three soldiers, two civilians and a woman, were injured in Jammu as three fidayeen (suicide squad) militants, who had infiltrated in the early hours of August 27-morning from Kanachak sector, managed to hijack a truck at Gadla, and travelled more than 15 kilometers before taking shelter in a house at Chinore on the old Jammu-Akhnoor road taking nine persons hostage. The operation which started at about 7 AM concluded after approximately 18 hours. Two soldiers and three civilians were killed before the militants took shelter in the house of one Billoo Ram Bhagat at Chinore at about 6.45 am while two civilians, a Territorial Army soldier and three militants were killed and a woman was wounded in the gun-battle inside the house which concluded in the mid-night. 10 civilians were held hostage by the militants soon after they intruded into the house of Billoo Ram.

August 30

A surrendered militant of the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) outfit, identified as Noor Hussain alias Commando, was killed in an inter-group clash between the militants at Kuchaal in the Kishtwar district.

August 31

An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with the Army at Honimar Gali in the Kupwara district. The Army had launched a massive search operation near the Line of Control in Machil sector following an attempt by militants to infiltrate into the Valley from across the border on August 22.

September 2

Militants shot dead a CRPF trooper and looted his gun at Littar in the Pulwama district. Two civilians sustained injuries in the incident.

September 3

Police arrested two locally trained militants belonging to Al-Badr and LeT from the Wader and Mawar areas of Handwara.

September 5

Three heavily-armed militants were killed as Army troops guarding the LoC foiled a major infiltration bid in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district.

September 6

Security forces killed a top wanted ‘divisional commander’ of the LeT, identified as Qari Usman, in an encounter in the Sopore area of Baramulla district on. Two of his associates, however, managed to escape from the incident site.

Most of the Government and private offices, shops, business establishments, banks and educational institutions in the Valley remained closed on the separatist Hurriyat Coordination Committee’s (HCC) call.

September 7

SFs killed a ‘divisional commander’ of the JeM outfit, Barkatullah Ansari a.k.a. Hyder of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, during an encounter that ensued after a cordon-and-search operation at Warpora in the Baramulla district. Officials said that three SF personnel sustained injuries in the incident.

A soldier, identified as Surya Babu, was killed and two others sustained injuries when a group of militants attacked a search party in the Kerbari area of Ramban district.

In his capacity as head of the recently formed Hurriyat Coordination Committee (HCC), chairman of his own faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, issued a detailed calendar of strikes and protests for the holy month of Ramzan.

September 8

Two HM militants shot dead a civilian, identified as Mohd Iqbal, at his house at village Dedni Khabaran in Goha area of Doda district.

September 12

The Army and police killed three hardcore militants of HuJI, including a commander of the outfit, Mohd Akber Chechi, at village Bonda of Chatru in the Kishtwar district. The other militants were identified as Shabir Ahmed and Saifullah.

September 14

Troops shot dead two militants during an encounter at Budwan in the Kupwara district.

Two suspected militants were killed when Army and police neutralized a hideout at Tararan Wali under Surankot tehsil (administrative division) in the Poonch district in the-night. However, another militant managed to escape from the incident site.

One ‘district commander’ of the HM, identified as Munir Pir alias Munawar, was shot dead by police and Army during an encounter at Gool in the Ramban district. Two militants, however, managed to escape.

September 15

Two Army personnel and two SPOs were killed and one police man was wounded by three suspected LeT militants during an encounter at Tararan Wali dhok in the Surankot area of Poonch district. The militants, including two foreign mercenaries, however, managed to escape.

September 15

Two children were killed and one more sustained injuries in an explosive shell blast in the Gurez area of Bandipore district.

September 21

At least two militants and a trooper were killed during a gun battle along the LoC in the Poonch district.

Two top LeT militants, including a ‘district commander’ of the outfit Abu Sanwariya, a suspected Pakistani national , were killed during an encounter by a joint force of police, Army and Border Security Force at Dalwa in Gool of Ramban district.

September 22

Two militants and an Army personnel were killed at Kalsan in the Poonch sector.

Two infiltrators were killed near the LoC immediately after they crossed over to the Indian side from PoK.

Two Pakistani ‘commanders’ of the LeT were shot dead by a joint force of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and CRPF during an encounter in the Sumbal area of Baramula district.The slain militants were identified as ‘divisional commander’ Tahir Pathan alias Abu Tahir and ‘district commander’ Abdullah alias Abu Maaz. Two AK-47 rifles and a satellite phone were recovered from the encounter site.

September 25

Three militants were killed during an ongoing encounter at Laanz in the upper ridges of Bandipore-Kangan belt. The encounter started after troops, on receiving information about a group of six militants being holed up in a hideout in the area launched a cordon and search operation and were fired upon by the militants.

An unidentified militant killed a prominent leader of the PDP in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. The politician 55-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Mir was killed in the main market of Dangiwacha town when he was coming out of a mosque after performing prayers. Mir died on the spot. In addition to being Sarpanch (head of village level self-government institution) of a cluster of villages around Behrampora, Mir was functioning as PDP's Zonal President in Dangiwacha area. No militant organization has claimed responsibility for the killing.

A JeM militant, identified as Showkat was killed in another ongoing operation at village Kenigam near Pakharpora in the Budgam-Pulwama belt. Another accomplice of the dead militant, identified as Adnan was still fighting the forces.

September 26 and 27

Eleven militants were killed in four different operations in the State on September 26 and 27. A soldier was killed in an encounter in the Kangan-Bandipore belt.

Seven militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle in Laanz forest area in the Kangan-Bandipore belt. Three soldiers sustained injuries in the encounter and one of them, Havildar Bahadur Singh succumbed to injuries while under treatment.

Special Operations Group (SOG) of Handwara Police and Army personnel killed an LeT militant identified as Abu Khubaib of Pakistan in Hafruda forest area. Officials claimed that Abu Khubaib was LeT's 'Launching Commander' in north Kashmir who had been operating in Ramhal and Rajwar forest areas for the last few years.

The continuing encounter at Kenigam in the Pakharpora-Rajpora belt of south Kashmir ended and the dead bodies of both the holed up JeM militants were recovered. The slain militants were identified as Shaukat Ahmed Dar of Pulwama, and Adnan Bhai of Balochistan in Pakistan. Three Army personnel and a civilian sustained injuries in the gunbattle. Later an explosion occurred when residents were clearing the rubble injuring 16 persons.

September 29

Four more militants were killed in the continuing gunbattle in Laanz forest area in the Kangan-Bandipore belt, raising the death toll to eleven militants and an Army official. The operation had reportedly started on September 26-night after security forces received information regarding the movement of a number of Pakistani and local militants at the high altitude ''Laanz'' area, between Bandipore and Kangan.

October 2

Two LeT militants were killed during in an encounter with Police and Army in dense apple orchards near Drawni at Nagbal in Zainapora locality of Shopian district. They were identified as Abdullah and Rayees Ahmed. Abdullah was a Pakistani national. Two AK-56 rifles were recovered from the possession of the slain militants.

The fierce gun battle between the army and militants that had begun on September 25 in the Kagnan area of Kashmir ended after a week, killing 13 militants and a soldier. It is said to be the longest gun battle in recent years.

October 4

A top militant commander of the LeT, identified as Ibrar Ahmed alias Abu Ubaid, was shot dead by security force personnel during an encounter at Dodimal in Targain area of Budhal in the Rajouri district.

October 5

Two HM militants, including a Pakistani national, were shot dead by a joint force of the Army and Police during an encounter at village Khail in Chanunta area under Ramnagar tehsil (revenue division) of Udhampur district.

October 6

In 2008, 70 infiltrating militants were reportedly killed in 30 bids by security force personnel along the Line of Control (LoC), according to The Hindu. "Three-tier border fencing along Indo-Pak border has virtually turned into a death trap for ultras, as 70 infiltrating militants were killed in 30 bids in 2008", Northern Command Public Relations Officer Col. D. K. Kachari told Press Trust of India. He mentioned that the effectiveness of the fencing along the LoC led to decline in the rate of successful infiltration bid by militants.

A militant, Shakeel Mohammad, was killed in an encounter with Army in Lolab valley of Kupwara district. A photo identity card, one AK rifle with two magazines, 52 rounds of ammunition and a pouch were recovered from his possession. Shakeel reportedly belonging to the State of Kerala. Senior Police and Army officials declined to be on record but revealed that Shakeel was believed to be the first IM cadre to have been killed by security forces in an encounter in Jammu & Kashmir. Meanwhile, four accomplices of Shakeel were trapped in another encounter in Dever area of Lolab. The report added that the Army had "strong suspicion" that others too could be IM's cadres from Kerala.

October 7

Two militants, including a self-styled commander of the HuM, were killed in two separate gun-battles with security forces in Baramulla and Kupwara districts of North Kashmir.

October 9

Security forces shot dead the ‘chief commander’ of the Pakistan-based JeM, identified as Zaheer Ahmad alias Pasha, and his accomplice, Saifullah alias Shoukat Bhai alias Faisal, during a five-hour gun battle in the Sopore area of Baramulla district. The duo were Pakistani nationals. Two AK assault rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain militants of Faisalabad, Pakistan

Nearly 125 youths including a number of students have disappeared from a number of villages in remote and upper reaches of Doda district and were reported to have joined militancy during past three to four months. The LeT chief for Doda, Abu Kasha, and his deputy, Iqbal Malik, were reported to have played a major role in fresh recruitment of youths including students of 11^th and 12^th classes across the district.

October 10

An LeT ‘commander’, identified as Moeen, was shot dead in an encounter with SFs at Khellen Litter in the Pulwama district.

October 11

Three LeT militants were killed and a police constable, Nazir Ahmad, was wounded during an encounter at Badli Beri near Sogam in the Kupwara district. The slain militants were Pakistani nationals, identified as Abu Hafiz, Hafiz and Saqib. Three AK rifles, six magazines, 232 rounds and a UBGL were recovered from their possession.

October 13

A ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the HM identified as Irshad Ahmed Sheikh was shot dead by the Doda police and Army in a joint operation at Majmi forests in the Bhagwa area of Doda district. Recoveries made from the slain militant’s possession include one AK-90 rifle, one magazine, one mobile telephone, five SIM cards and a large quantity of ammunition and explosive devices.

Troops foiled two infiltration attempts on the LoC at Nowshera and Mendhar sectors in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch killing two infiltrators.

October 14

Two hardcore militants of the LeT and an Army soldier were killed in a fierce gun battle at Sangiot village in the Kalaban area of Mendhar tehsil (revenue division) in Poonch district. The encounter started when the Army and the police intercepted a group of militants about a couple of kilometres from the LoC while trying to infiltrate. One of the two militants has been identified as Zaffa Shah, a top LeT commander hailing from PoK. The identity of his associate has not been ascertained so far but he too was believed to be a LeT activist. At least two to the three more militants were still hiding. Recoveries made from the encounter site so far include two AK rifles and two magazines.

October 18

Army shot dead three HM militants during an encounter at forward Kas Kancha area in the Keri sector of Rajouri district. An Army Major was also injured in the encounter, which started when around eight militants were trying to infiltrate along the LoC. Miltants reportedly opened fire and lobbed grenades on troops who retaliated. Three AK rifles, three magazines, 74 rounds, one radio set, two mobile phones, letter heads of HM outfit and some eatables were recovered from the encounter site. This was sixth infiltration attempt in last eight days from twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

October 19

A top woman militant of the LeT, Halima Begum of Anantnag and her brother, Mohd Ashraf, were arrested along with a pistol, AK rounds and explosive devices by Police at Kud in the Udhampur district. Both have a record of deep involvement in militancy, and had a plan to assist a top Pakistani militant there.

October 20

The Defence Minister A. K. Antony told the Parliament that infiltration bids in Jammu and Kashmir has declined. He stated, "Infiltration bids in Jammu and Kashmir from across the International Border are on decline, today. There were only 243 infiltrators during April to September 2008 as against 419 infiltrators during the same period last year. During the current year, 193 terrorists were killed while 157 were arrested in the same period this year. A multi-tier arrangement, including deployment of troops, surveillance devices, Line of Control fence, State and Central security forces has proved effective in discouraging infiltrators."

Regarding ceasefire violation, he told that, "Pakistan had violated the five-year-old pact on ceasefire 58 times since the ceasefire agreement came into effect from November 2003.And since January 2008, Indian positions on the LoC have been fired upon 34 times, while the total ceasefire violation by Pakistan has occurred on 58 counts."

October 21

A girl was killed and another injured in a grenade blast in Kupwara district on October 21, a police spokesman said. Rabia Yousuf, 11, died on the spot when a grenade exploded at Bari Beri village of Sogam while, another girl, Maria Manzoor, 10, was injured. The blast took place when the victims, who found a grenade while playing, started fiddling with it.

October 22

Two LeT militants were killed by security forces during a joint search operation at Watlar in the Ganderbal district. The killed militants were identified as Mohd Latief Chopan of Najma and Farooq Ahmed Sheikhi of Akhal.

October 23

The HM militants opened fire on a Panchayat (Village level self-government institution) going on in the house of a teacher at village Babariwala in the Haddal area of Doda district, killing a Nambardar (village headman) and injuring a civilian. Later, a top HM militant, identified as Harshad, was captured by the people inside the Panchayat but he too was killed in firing by the other militants. Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda), Parbhat Singh, said three HM militants struck at village Babariwala. While two of them stood outside, one of them with a rifle in hand entered inside the meeting venue in the house of a teacher, Liaquat Hussain. However, the local people sitting in the Panchayat caught hold of the militant and snatched his weapon before he could open firing. Sensing trouble inside, two militants standing outside opened indiscriminate firing in which their colleague and Nambardar were killed and another civilian, Hashim Din, was injured. Two other militants, one of whom has been identified by the local people as Mohd Yasir, fled from the spot.

Two top HM militants, identified as Mohammad Latief Chohan and Farooq Ahmad Chechi, were killed by the SFs in an encounter at Watlar in the Ganderbal district. According to police," Two AK 47 rifles, six magazines, 80 rounds of AK ammunition, two pouches and literature were recovered from them."

October 26

The identity of two more Kerala based militants of the LeT, who were killed in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir on October 6, has been established while another associate is suspected to have fled back to Kerala.. According to top police sources in Kerala, the two militants, identified as Abdul Faiz from Kannur and Muhammad Yasir alias Verghese Joseph of Kochi, who converted to Islam about a year back, were among four who were killed in the SF operations. Earlier, the police had identified the other two militants slain in Lolab valley as Mohammad Fayaz from Kannur and Abdul Rahim from Malappuram. "Only one among the five Kerala youth who had joined Pakistan-based LeT outfit survived the encounters in Lolab valley and had apparently fled back," Senior Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, Uttam Chand said.

There was an intelligence report suggesting that Lashkar commander Abdullah had been on a recruitment spree under instructions from Pakistan's ISI and Kerala's Malappuram district was chosen as one of the targets in South India. The documents recovered from the killed militants, include a diagram and method to assemble IEDs in Malayalam. Central agencies had been monitoring certain leads which said a group of people hailing from Kerala along with LeT's support were trying to enter PoK through North Kashmir. LeT has been trying to make inroads into the country's hinterland and had sought recruits from various parts of the country.

October 27

Six HM militants, including a foreign mercenary, were shot dead the by Army and police during an encounter at Nithan forest in Gokund of Kishtwar district. Four AK-47 rifles, two pistols, nine magazines, 180 rounds, 18 grenades, two radio sets, two mobile phones and a large quantity of other ammunition and explosives were recovered from the encounter site.

Troops foiled two major infiltration bids when they shot dead four heavily armed militants in two separate encounters at Keran and Karnah sectors near the LoC in the frontier district of Kupwara. The report added that about 1500 militants are waiting across the LoC in different camps to infiltrate into Indian side before the closure of routes due to heavy snowfall.

October 29

A self-styled ‘district commander’ of the HM outfit, identified as Abdul Rashid alias ‘Majid’, was killed in an encounter with the SFs at Nayan-Batpora village in the Pulwama district. The encounter broke out at around 7 am when a police party assisted by troops of RR raided a house adjacent to a school in the village following specific information about presence of the top HM militant there. The security forces asked the hiding militant to surrender but he opened fire and in the ensuing encounter, the self-styled district commander was killed.

October 31

At least 13 security force (SF) personnel were injured in a hand grenade attack that targeted a police station in Baramulla town.

Three militants, identified as Shafeeq Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Shafi Shah and Reyaz Ahmad Mir, were arrested by the police personnel during a search operation at Main Chowk in the Awantipora district along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Pakistani passports were recovered from them. The report added that the arrested militants had gone across the border to Pakistan for receiving arms training many years ago and returned recently via Nepal.

November 1

A HM militant, Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Najeebullah, was arrested by a joint force of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF from near the railway station in Jammu.

Unidentified militants hurled a grenade on a police station at Lal Bazaar in Srinagar city. However, no one was hurt in the blast as the explosive device fell short of the target and exploded outside the boundary wall of the police station.

November 2

A HM militant, Ashiq Hussain alias Faizal Iqbal, was arrested by the police personnel during a search operation in the Ramban district. Ashiq reportedly entered the country through Nepal to disrupt the forthcoming Assembly elections.

November 3

Three CRPF personnel were injured when unidentified militants hurled a grenade at a patrol party in the Chanapora area of Srinagar city.

November 4

The BSF foiled an infiltration bid of the militants backed by Pakistan Rangers and Army, who had tried to push a group of at least five to six militants from International Border of Makwal in the Niki Tawi area of the Jammu sector. Two BSF personnel were injured in the firing.

A ‘Divisional Commander’ of the HM escaped from police custody after snatching the service rifle of escorting police personnel and subsequently firing at them in the court complex at Pulwama.

November 5

Unidentified militants lobbed a grenade towards a security force bunker at Soura in Srinagar. However, there was no loss of life or property reported as the grenade missed the intended target.

November 6

A HM ‘district commander’, identified as Ghulam Ali alias Kamal Din, was arrested by the troops at Navapachi in the Kishtwar district. A large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from his possession.

November 7

98 live grenades of AK launcher concealed in a large bag and hidden under an under construction bridge were recovered by the police at Supwal in the Samba district.

SFs recovered dead bodies of three out of four infiltrators killed on the LoC in the Sabjian area of Poonch district. One of the slain infiltrators was identified as Mushtaq Ahmed, a resident of PoK. One 12 bore gun, two cartridges, two blankets, PKR 2890, one mobile set with two Pakistani SIM cards and some clothes were recovered from the incident site.

November 8

In two separate counter-insurgency operations, the SFs shot dead eight top militants of the HM and LeT outfits—four each in the Doda and Poonch districts. The Senior Superintendent of Police in Doda district, Prabhat Singh, said that four hardcore HM militants, including a ‘district commander’, were killed during an encounter at Baleni Nullah in the Dessa area of Doda district.

Troops foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of six militants killing four of them in an encounter on the LoC at Sabjian in the Poonch district. While two other militants managed escape, trooper M.K. Thappa was injured during the encounter with the militants. The militants were believed to from the LeT outfit. Two AK rifles and a large quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered from the slain militants.

November 9

A self-styled ‘divisional commander’ of the HuJI, identified as Mohammad Rafiq alias Irfan, was among two militants killed by the SFs at Kokernag in the Anantnag district. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

The house of a police constable Ghulam Nabi was set ablaze by the HM militants at village Gulgut in the Reasi district.

November 10

Two .303 rifles were recovered by the police during a search operation at the militant hideout in village Karoor of Udhampur district. However, no arrests were made during the search operation.

November 12

Two militant hideouts were neutralised and five kilograms of RDX explosives besides other equipments were recovered by the SFs in two separate incidents in the Poonch district. In the first incident, the SFs neutralised a militant hideout and recovered five-kgs of RDX and six black tubes filled with explosives at Loran. In another incident, troops neutralised a militant hideout in the Sanjiot area and recovered one remote controlled improvised explosive device circuit and 30 Durra pencil cell.

November 13

The security forces opened fire towards two unidentified militants in the Upper Dharana area of Mendhar tehsil (revenue division) of the Poonch district. The militants, however, managed to escape.

A suspected female spy of Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI, identified as Ashiya, was arrested by security forces near LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district. Ashiya was wife of Havildar Mohammed Sajjad of the Pakistan Army, a resident of village Patni in the Jhelum area of the PoK. Another report mentioned that over 100 Pakistani girls are being trained in handling of weapons, explosives, jungle warfare and sabotage activities in two militant training camps in Bhimber and Kotli areas across the LoC in PoK.

A cache of arms and explosives was recovered by the SFs during two search operations in Poonch district. Troops of the Rashtriya Rifles recovered eight kilograms of explosives from the Pajalgali area. SFs also recovered one AK 47 Rifle and 20 rounds of AK ammunition from another hideout in the Pathana Tir area in Mendhar.

November 15

A militant hideout was neutralised and a cache of arms and ammunition were recovered by the SFs during a search operation in the Khenu forest area of Poonch district. The seizure included one AK rifle, three AK magazines, 90 AK rounds, one 9-mm pistol, one magazine, and one pouch.

November 16

One trooper was killed in an encounter between the SFs and militants near the LoC in Poonch district. The encounter occurred when the SFs opened fire on a group of militants who tried to enter into this side to sabotage the election process in the Berirukh area in Mendhar assembly constituency.

A militant, identified as Nayak Uma, was killed in a gunfight with the militants in the Bari forest. According to sources, the slain militant is a resident of Assam.

55 per cent voter turnout was recorded in ten constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir that went to the polls in the first phase. Polling took place amid stringent security measures, a complete strike and the boycott call given by the Coordination Committee spearheading an anti-election campaign. "By and large polling was peaceful, though there were some minor incidents which are part of the democratic exercise," Chief Electoral Officer B.R. Sharma told a news conference. He said the voter turnout in all the constituencies was good with Gurez topping the list at 74 per cent. Bandipora recorded 42 per cent, Sonawari 42, Mendhar 65, Surankote 58, Poonch 64, Nobra 51, Leh 53, Zanskar 48 and Kargil 57 per cent. "All the complaints by political parties were looked into and action was taken," he said.

November 18

An official spokesman said that three terrorists were killed in an encounter with the Army at Bali Behak in the Baramulla district. In the gun battle, one soldier was also killed. The security forces recovered three AK rifles, three magazines, 207 rounds, one pistol, two magazines, three rounds, five hand grenades, one wireless set, one mobile phone, two batteries, Rs 10,000 Indian currency and Rs 100 Pakistan currency from the slain terrorists’ possession.

November 19

Army recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from village Sakhi Pir in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district. Recoveries made from a hide-out include one General Purpose Machine Gun, three AK rifles, five AK magazines with 100 rounds and three radio sets.

SFs also neutralized another hideout of the militants in the Kalakote area of Rajouri district and recovered four and a half kilograms of RDX, three Chinese hand grenades, 56 AK rounds, 41 rounds of 7.62 mm, one Ericson radio set and ration items.

November 20

Two JeM militants were killed in a joint operation of the police and army in the Daril-Vilgam village of Kupwara district. The slain militants were identified as Shamsher alias Showkat Bhai and Irfan alias Abu Talib, both residents of Pakistan. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

SFs killed another militant in an encounter at Niloosa Bijhama in the Uri area of Baramulla district.

A suspected militant triggered a grenade explosion inside the Police Station in Sopore town of Baramulla district, causing injuries to the Station House Officer (SHO). The attack was subsequently claimed by the LeT.

November 21

Unidentified militants lobbed a hand grenade on the residence of the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate, Ashfaq Yusuf Bhat, at Baghat in the outskirts of Sopore town. It exploded on the main entrance of the targeted premises, but failed to cause any casualties.

Suspected counter-insurgents lobbed a hand grenade on the house of a prominent PDP activist, Abdul Aziz Mir, at Arin in Bandipora. It exploded and caused minor damage to the targeted house but failed to cause any casualty.

Supporters of different contestants clashed with one another in Uri, Tangmarg and some other places. Nobody was reportedly injured in such clashes.

November 23

Defying the boycott call given by separatists, a large number of people turned up for the second phase of Legislative Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Ganderbal district is reported to have recorded 62 per cent polling. The overall polling percentage in Rajouri and Ganderbal districts was put at 59.09 per cent. Briefing journalists, Divisional Commissioner Masaud Samoon said elections in the two districts were held smoothly. He said 60.02 per cent exercised their franchise in Kangan constituency while 44 per cent voted in Ganderbal constituency. It was a much higher than the turnout in the 2002 elections which recorded 52 per cent and 35 per cent in Kangan and Ganderbal respectively. Rajouri district, he said, recorded a poll percentage of 70.50 per cent.

November 24

SFs killed a newly recruited LeT militant, identified as Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, in the Kutdhar area of Doda district. One 7.62 mm Chinese pistol with three pistol rounds, one hand grenade, one mobile phone and six AK rounds were recovered from his possession.

Militants killed a civilian, identified as Fareed Ahmed Malik, at his residence in the Bharat area of Doda district.

SFs recovered seven Chinese grenades and a large quantity of ammunition during a search operation at village Swari under the jurisdiction of Kandi police station in Rajouri district. Recoveries made from the site include one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), 11 UBGL shells, 89 pistol rounds, seven Chinese grenades and a pouch. However, no arrests were made from the incident site.

November 25

Suspected militants attacked an election rally of the National Conference (NC) in Sopore village of Baramulla district killing a 14 year old boy and injuring two persons. Poling is to be held in Sopore in the fourth phase. NC candidate Muhammad Ashraf Ganie reached Gundbroth village to address an election rally and even as he ventured out of his vehicle a grenade was hurled by suspected militants. Consequently, 14 year old Afaq Ganie died on spot and two other civilians, Reyaz Ahmad Pandit and Abdul Rahim Ganie, were wounded.

November 27

A soldier was wounded when some unidentified gunmen opened fire on the patrol party of the army from across the India-Pakistan border in Khour area of Akhnoor along the Line of Control (LoC). The exchange of fire between the two sides continued from fifteen minutes.

November 28

Security forces killed seven militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in two separate gun-battles in the Bandipora and Awantipore areas.

SFs neutralized an improvised explosive device that had been planted by suspected militants on the road between Wachi and Naina Batpora in Pulwama district.

December 1

Troops neutralized a militant hideout and recovered a cache of of arms and ammunition during routine search operations in the Ahangar forest area of Rajouri district. The seizure included one mouser pistol, five Chinese hand grenades, five UBGL grenades, three RPG rounds and AK 47 rounds. However no arrest has been made in this connection so far.

December 2

Unidentified gunmen shot dead a close associate of the Congress party’s rebel candidate, Ghulam Rasool Kar, and wounded one more of his associates at Sopore in Baramulla District. Official sources said an unidentified gunman appeared in Now Hamam locality of Sopore town and fired upon the retired lecturer, Bashir Ahmed Kababi, near his house at 2015 hours, killing him on the spot. Earlier at 1915 hours, an unidentified gunman shot at and injured Farooq Ahmed Pandit. Even as officials suspect it the involvement of separatist militants, reports said that Kar was suspecting the hand of a rival candidate behind the twin shootout.

An independent candidate from Kupwara Assembly constituency, which went to polls on November 30 in the third phase, escaped a militant attempt on his life. Official sources said militants attacked Gulzar Ahmad Lone at his residence in Awoora in Kupwara with automatic weapons. However, the guards posted there retaliated. While no loss of life was reported, the militants managed to escape from the incident site.

A grenade explosion took place near the house of one Abdul Ahad Tantray at Fatehpora in Baramulla without causing any damage.

SFs recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives during a search in Androot forests under the jurisdiction of Chingus Police post in Rajouri District. Inspector General of Police (Jammu), K. Rajendra, said the seizure include two AK-56 rifles with 554 rounds and three magazines, one pistol with 10 rounds and one magazine, one Alinco wireless set, 18 hand grenades, two kg RDX, one pouch, one Army dress and some medicines.

December 3

SFs neutralized a militant hideout in the Dharmsal forest area of Rajouri District and recovered some arms and ammunition. While the militants had managed to escape before the raid, the troops recovered four AK magazines, two wireless sets, one pistol magazine, one UBGL shell, four pouches, one jacket, AK rounds 276, 20 pistol rounds, Pica rounds five, wireless set battery one, three UBGL grenades, one compass, two fencing cutters, Rs 1450 in Pak currency, four watches, two caps and some dry fruits.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony warned the armed forces of possible terrorist attacks from airborne platforms similar to the ‘9/11’ attacks in the US, at a meeting with the three services chiefs and defence officials in New Delhi. The meeting, attended by Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major and Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, also reviewed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in the wake of reports that its army was on a "high alert" following the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Antony, sources said, worked out measures with the armed forces for tightening security and vigil along the LoC to prevent infiltration of terrorists through land, as "Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is known to be an important area for recruitment and training of terrorists."

December 4

SFs arrested a ‘battalion commander’ of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Qari Ismail, a resident of Pakistan, in the capital Srinagar after a chase from Sopore. Two Chinese grenades, one rifle grenade and 22 live rounds of AK 47 were recovered from his possession.

Election authorities said that 68.22 per cent polling was recorded in the third phase of election in five Assembly segments of Kupwara District after final compilation of the figures. "With reference to the presiding officers diaries of the five Assembly segment of Kupwara District, which went to polls on November 30 in third phase of elections in the State was recorded as 68.22 per cent," an official statement said. Giving further details, it said that 80.41 per cent of votes were cast in Karnah segment followed by 75.47 per cent in Handwara, 68.46 per cent in Lolab, 62.60 per cent in Kupwara and 61.46 per cent in Langate segment.

December 5

The Kolkata Police arrested two terrorists, identified as Tausif Rehman and Mukhtar Ahmed, from different locations in connection with the November 26 multiple terrorist attack in Mumbai. While Tausif was arrested from West Bengal, Mukhtar, who was a constable in Jammu and Kashmir Police, was arrested from the same State. Both Tausif and Mukhtar were reportedly linked to the SIM cards used by the terrorists who attacked Mumbai.

Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade on the National Conference leader and contesting candidate Mustafa Kamal''s rally in Tangmarg. Official sources said it fell close to the intended target but failed to explode.

December 6: Two of the senior most commanders of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), who are both believed to be Pakistani nationals, were shot dead in a fierce gun-battle with Police and Army in Lolab valley of Kupwara District. With the help of residents, they were identified as ‘Divisional Commander’ for North Kashmir, Najeebullah alias Doctor and ‘District Commander’ for Lolab, Islam alias Ustad. Both had been active in Kupwara District in the last more than five years.

A hardcore LeT militant was shot dead in a joint operation by Police, Army and Central Reserve Police Force while his Pakistani associate, identified as Saifullah, was injured at village Joura under the jurisdiction of Gandoh Police station in Doda District. However, the injured militant managed to escape. The slain militant was identified as Nadeem Hussain alias Umer son of Manzoor Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Joura. Recoveries made from the scene of encounter include one AK-47 rifle with one magazine, 30 rounds, one pouch and one mobile telephone.

Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade on the residence of an Independent candidate, namely Ghulam Mohammad Wathori, at Wathora on Srinagar-Chadoura Road. Sources said that it exploded outside the targeted house and caused damage to one of the candidate''s campaigning vehicles. Two persons sustained minor injuries.

December 7

In the fourth phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, an estimated 55 per cent turnout has been recorded for 18 seats (12 in Kashmir Valley and six in Jammu) in four Districts amid stray violence. Sporadic clashes between anti-poll protesters and Security Forces occurred at a few places while there was a grenade explosion at Sopore, but none was killed. The voting was spread over Baramulla, Udhampur, Budgam and Reasi Districts. Gool Arnas, once the operational hub of the militants in lower Pirpanchal ranges, recorded a very high turnout (70 per cent), while Sopore, the home town of breakaway Hurriyat faction leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had the lowest turnout of 14 per cent. As per tentative data, 55 per cent electorate in Baramulla, Budgam, Udhampur and Reasi Districts cast their votes, Chief Electoral Officer B.R. Sharma said.

Security Forces have launched a ‘quiet’ crackdown on activists belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT, also known as Jama’at-ud-Da’awa) in different parts of the country and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). In Muzaffarabad, capital of the PoK, a major army operation was under way in the city suburbs against a site being used by the Jama’at-ud-Da’awa, which is headed by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. Sources said that more than 20 members of the banned organisation and LeT ‘commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi had been arrested.

December 8

The personal security officer (PSO) of an Independent candidate, Shiraz Ahmed, contesting from Doda Assembly segment, was shot at and injured by the militants at Bhagwa in Doda District.

December 10

A soldier of the Rashtriya Rifles was injured in an encounter with the militants at Chatru in Kishtwar District.

December 12

A woman, identified as Haleema Begum, was killed and two of her family members were injured when militants opened fire on them at Sarsee Kukras village in Doda District.

Police arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) militant and his female associate from Assar in the Doda District when they were heading towards Jammu on the same night. They were identified as Latief Gujjar alias Fighter and Rashida Begum. Police recovered one AK rifle, some rounds and explosives from the possession of Latief Gujjar.

December 17

Two top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, including ‘commander’ Rayees Kachroo who had escaped from Police custody at Pulwama District court in November 2008, were killed in an encounter with SFs in Shopian District. Kachroo and another militant, Abdul Rashid Ganaie alias Ishfaq, were killed in a joint operation by Police and Army at Mailura village in Zainapora area. Kachroo, an IED expert, was arrested in 2007 along with a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Police sources said Kachroo was involved in more than 40 killings.

The sixth and penultimate phase of elections in the Anantnag and Kulgam Districts in Kashmir Valley and in the Districts of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar in Jammu region was by and large peaceful as no major untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the two Districts. An approximate 63 percent voter turnout was reported. Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Masud Samoon told reporters in Srinagar that the election was "peaceful" in the Kashmir Valley "except for stray incidents" in Anantnag.

December 18

LeT ‘assistant divisional commander’ Saifullah Qari was killed during an encounter with Police at village Amritgarh under the jurisdiction of Krara police station in Doda district. However, two bodyguards of Qari, who was involved in a series of subversive activities across Doda and Kishtwar Districts during last several years, managed to escape during the encounter. One AK-47 rifle, three magazines, two diaries, one mobile telephone and a radio set were recovered from the incident site.

In a joint operation carried out by Army and police, an unidentified LeT ‘commander’ and a Territorial Army soldier were killed at village Kairni in the Bharat area of Doda District. Sources said a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the LeT outfit, Iqbal Malik alias Abu Umeir, and his two associates were trapped by the troops at Kairni. In the initial round of cross-firing, the unidentified LeT commander and an Army soldier were killed while two militants were still holed-up in the area. Identity of slain militant has not been established so far. One AK rifle and some ammunition have been recovered from him.

December 19

Two more top Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including a ‘tehsil commander’, were killed by the Security Forces (SFs) in an encounter at village Kairni in the Bharat area of Doda District. With this, the death toll in two operations during the last two days has increased to five, including four LeT commanders and an Army soldier. A Special Police Officer, Rakesh Kumar, was wounded in the operation on December 19. Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda), Prabhat Singh, said SFs, who had launched a search operation at Kairni on December 18 and shot dead a ‘deputy divisional commander’ of the LeT, Mohammed Iqbal Malik alias Abu Umair, resumed the search the next morning. The militants, who had slipped into Kairni forests, were pursued in the morning and finally engaged in a gun-battle by the SFs. In the over two hour long encounter, the two remaining militants, identified as Mohammed Ashraf, a ‘tehsil commander’, and Nawaz Ahmed Mir alias Abu Murshid were killed. Recoveries made from the slain militants include three AK-56 rifles, four magazines, 76 rounds, eight grenades, one radio set, two mobile telephones and some incriminating documents.

December 21

Foiling a major terrorist plot by the LeT in Jammu, the Jammu Police, on a specific input given by the Intelligence Bureau from New Delhi, arrested three Pakistani militants from a Hotel. Sources confirmed that all three arrested militants were Pakistanis, who had entered the capital City with a major terror plot probably on the pattern of Mumbai.

Police arrested a senior Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) militant linked to the Faizabad and Varanasi blasts in Uttar Pradesh. Sohail Ahmed, a resident of Chatroo in Kishtwar, is said to be involved in the Faizabad and Varanasi blasts along with his predecessor Sabba, who was killed by Police in Kishtwar few months back.

December 22

Two days ahead of the seventh and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, militants killed two soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force and fled with their service rifles in Baramulla district. Militants shot dead constables Inderjeet Singh and S. S. Budhria from a point blank range in Iqbal Market near the main bus stand in Sopore town, official sources said.

December 24

Defying calls from the secessionist leadership, a large number of people exercised their franchise in the final phase of elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The voter turnout in Srinagar district’s 10 constituencies was estimated at over 20 per cent by the State Election Commission authorities. Sonawar, one of two constituencies chosen by the former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, for his re-election bid, saw more than 34 per cent of voters exercising their franchise, up from 3.06 per cent six years ago. The other constituency, Ganderbal, saw a rise from 7.12 per cent to over 27 per cent. Elsewhere in Srinagar, Batamaloo, which saw four per cent of its voters exercising their franchise in 2002, witnessed 18 per cent turnout. In Khanyar, it rose from over four per cent to 15 per cent. The turnout in 13 constituencies of the Jammu and Samba districts exceeded 60 per cent.

The steps taken by SFs to check infiltration of militants into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border and Line of Control (LoC) have been effective as the number of militants operating in the State has dropped to below 1,000 for the first time since the eruption of militancy in early 1990s. "The measures taken along the Line of Control and International Border has resulted in lesser number of militants infiltrating into the State. There have been casualties among the infiltrators which means the efficiency in preventing infiltration has improved," Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda, told reporters at the year-end briefing on security situation in the State. The DGP said the number of active militants in the State had for the first time dropped below 1,000 and in fact was around 800 as per information coming from various security agencies. "There are around 577 local militants and 231 foreigners operating in the State. These are figures based on information from various agencies working on the ground," he said. The Police chief said the situation had improved considerably since 2007 as the number of militancy-related incidents came down to three digits for the first time since eruption of militancy. "We had less than 700 militancy related incidents during the current year which is a 40 per cent drop compared to the number of incidents that have taken place last year," he said. "The number of civilians killed in militancy related incidents this year was just 89 which is below the three digit figure for the first time as well. Last year 164 civilians were killed while the highest number of civilians killed in such incidents was in 1996 when 1413 persons lost their lives," he stated. The DGP also said SFs were successful in neutralizing 102 top ranking commanders of militants in the State during 2008 while the casualties among the SFs dropped considerably. "As many as 85 Security Forces personnel laid down their lives while combating militancy in the State in 2008 while 685 were killed in 2001 which was the highest since 1990," he added.

December 26

A surrendered militant was shot dead by the militants in the Marwah area of Kishtwar District. He has been identified as Talib Hussain, a resident of Satarwagon village in the Marwah area. Official sources said Talib Hussain was abducted by the militants from Satarwagon when he was on way to his house. Later, he was killed in the adjacent forest area.

A Pakistani intruder was shot dead by the Border Security Force personnel along the International Border at Chak Faquira in Samba sector.

Udhampur District Police recovered one AK rifle, six magazines, 140 rounds, one wireless set, one hand grenade and a satellite telephone from a hideout disclosed by two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, arrested recently by the police from Upper Thanowa in Udhampur.

December 28

The National Conference (NC) emerged the single largest party as the results of the just-concluded elections in Jammu and Kashmir were announced. The NC secured 28 seats (20 in Kashmir, six in Jammu and two in Kargil), while the People’s Democratic Party was second with 21 seats (19 in Kashmir and 2 in Jammu). The Congress party was victorious in 17 seats (13 from Jammu region, three from Kashmir and one from Leh) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in 11 constituencies. The National Panthers Party won three seats and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the People’s Democratic Front and the Democratic Party (Nationalist) one each. Independents won in four constituencies. Forty-four seats is the majority mark in the 87-strong House.

December 31

The Union Home Ministry stated in its year-end review that during 2008 (data till November), terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir were down by 39 percent, killings of civilians by 41 percent and of Security Forces by 31 percent over the corresponding period of 2007. The level of infiltration across the Line of Control/International Border has also seen a decline, the ministry said.