Home Minister Chidambaram: Security forces were keeping a very careful vigil along the border in Jammu and Kashmir to foil any infiltration attempt by militants; Two militants killed during a gunfight in Keller; Militants killed in Sopore; Separatist lead
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    • The Centre said the security forces were keeping a very careful vigil along the border in Jammu and Kashmir to foil any infiltration attempt by militants.
    Home Minister P Chidambaram said there were some intelligence inputs suggesting infiltration to Jammu and Kashmir from across the border but the number was “debatable”.
    Chidambaram said the security forces would be able to stop infiltration and if a few were able to get through; the forces would be able to apprehend them in course of time.1

    Two militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit were killed in a gunfight with soldiers at Keller in the south Kashmir district. Policemen, soldiers of 44 Rashtriya Rifles and paramilitary CRPF men of 14 battalion cordoned off Khanday Mohalla, Keller and launched searches. Militants holed up inside a residential house opened fire on the search party which retaliated triggering an encounter a police official said. The gunfight continued for long in which two militants were killed.2 In another incident in north Kashmir’s Sopore area, two militants were killed in an encounter with security forces.3

    Reports noted that authorities have put top separatist leaders, including Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, under house arrest. Geelani was scheduled to address a rally at Hazratbal, while Mirwaiz was scheduled to address Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid in old city and Malik was to address a gathering at Kangan.4

    In other violent incidents, two militants were killed and six houses gutted in a fierce encounter in Zachildara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. A top police official said following a tip off about the presence of militants, SOG along with the 21 RR laid siege of Ganai Mohalla in Laribal area of Zachildara and started house to house searches. According to a official the search party received fire from the militants who were hiding in a house.5 Meanwhile, a LeT commander was killed and two of his associates injured during an encounter with forces in Poonch district. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of 18 Rashtriya Rifles and police raided Soni-top forests in Baflaiz-Dera-ki-Gali belt.6

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