Militants granted safe passage

By Our Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, MAY 31. Security forces surrounding the Kharwar area in South Kashmir today quietly lifted the cordon around a mosque in which four militants of the pan-Islamic Lashkar-e-Taiba had taken shelter, facilitating a safe passage for the ultras.

On Wednesday, the security forces comprising personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles, BSF and the SOG threw a blanket around the mosque after the four ultras withdrew inside. One army jawan and a militant died in the shootout and two others were injured. Even after the militants' ammunition was exhausted during the long exchange of fire, the security forces were reluctant to storm the mosque and flush out the ultras..

Today, on the instructions of the Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the security forces lifted the cordon and facilitated a safe passage for the militants who escaped under the cover of darkness. This was done to avoid a situation which would have embarrassed the Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir, Mr. K. C. Pant, here on a six-day visit.

A report said the security forces initially started shelling the mosque but withdrew later. Another said the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and the Lashkar had denied that the four militants had been given a safe passage.

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