Hizb chief's house gutted

SRINAGAR, JAN. 23. Fire destroyed the house of Mr. Abdul Majid Dar, chief commander of the pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Hizb-ul- Mujahideen, in Jammu and Kashmir, who had declared a unilateral ceasefire in July last, official sources said here today.

Mr. Dar was not present in the house, situated at Arampora in Sopore of Baramulla district, when the blaze broke out on Monday night. His family members were rescued by BSF personnel, a BSF spokesman said.

The fire started from a room in Mr. Dar's house, engulfed the entire building and spread to an adjacent house. ``When the house was totally in flames, BSF troops rescued the family members of Mr. Dar, who was not present as he has never visited his house after militancy erupted in Kashmir,'' the spokesman said.

Both houses suffered extensive damage in the fire, the cause of which could not be immediately ascertained.

The All-Party Hurriyat Conference, in a statement, said that the involvement of security forces could not be ruled out. ``Hardly any house of a militant has escaped demolition, destruction and fire besides ransacking by security forces,'' it said.

- PTI

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