The Hindu : 4 women, 2 children beheaded in Rajouri

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 20, 2003

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4 women, 2 children beheaded in Rajouri

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu May 19. In a gruesome act of reprisal against the family of a security services personnel, militants belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad beheaded six members, four women and two infants, in Chowikan Kotedara village of Rajouri district last night. The militants stormed the house of Mehboob Bhakerwal — whose one son is an armyman Wazir Mohammad and the other, Khan Mohammad, a serving personnel in the Special Operations Group of the State Police — and killed the family members present. The men had gone out for the marriage of a relative in another village when the militants struck.

The militants stormed the house around 11 p.m. on Sunday and beheaded the six persons, including two infants, Arshad Mohammad (4) and Maroof Ahmad (2). The four women include Khatun Begum (60), Hanifa Begam (30), Jakra Begum (29) and Taj Begum (20). Well-placed police sources told The Hindu that the inhuman killing of the four women and the infants was a revenge taken for the killing of a Jaish-e-Mohammad "divisional commander", Saifullah Shirazi, and his bodyguard, Qadir Khan alias Billal, some days ago. Shirazi, a Pakistani national, was a top-ranking militant active in the border belt for five years. He was killed in the house of Mehboob Bhakerwal, where he had gone looking for Khan Mohammad, a policeman.

Based on the information provided by the family a combined operation of police and the Army was launched on May 5 and after a seven-hour encounter the militant and his bodyguard were eliminated.

The village is situated around 12 km. from the town and it took police several hours to reach the spot.

This is the second such militant attack on the family of security services personnel under similar circumstances in the last six months in the border belt.

The last was in Khawas village of Rajouri district on December 23 last year when five Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed two members of a police constable's family.

The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, condemned the attack and termed it an inhuman act.

He also expressed condolences with the bereaved family.

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