Date:23/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/23/stories/2003042305790100.htm

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Six killed in blast near Srinagar

By Our Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR APRIL 22. In a fresh wave of violence, six persons, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed and 12 injured in a powerful blast near Tral, about 45 km from here today, while security forces gunned down 17 militants in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu during the last 24 hours.

Police said the blast occurred when militants set off an Improvised Explosive Device planted under a wall at Gulshanpora Batagund, killing three persons on the spot. An eyewitness told The Hindu that 15 injured persons were rushed to hospital but two of them died on the way. The 12-year-old boy, Idrees Ahmed, died in hospital here. The condition of some of the injured was stated to be critical.

No militant outfit has owned responsibility for the blast yet.

A party from the 138 battalion of the Border Security Force, which reached the spot immediately, extended help to the blast victims, a BSF spokesman said.

Defence sources said 13 militants were killed when the security forces raided a hideout at the Hill Kaka area of Surankot in Poonch district. The encounter was still going on. The slain militants were believed to be from the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Four militants were eliminated in another encounter in Kalakote in Rajouri. An army man was also killed in the encounter.