September 18, 2002	Wednesday	Rajab 10, 1423

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NEW DELHI, Sept 17: A Kashmiri editor was shot in Srinagar on Tuesday. In a separate incident, a candidate from an assembly constituency whose ministerial hopeful was assassinated recently threatened to quit the race citing inadequate security cover, as the focus shifted to the second phase of the four-stage controversial polls in the disputed region.

Ghulam Mohammad Sofi, editor of Urdu daily Srinagar Times, critical of Pakistan, was shot at by four suspected militants in Srinagar. Mr Sofi has been the target of previous attacks by suspected militants. On one occasion his office in Srinagar was set on fire.

In Tuesday’s incident Sofi was attacked at his residence in Srinagar’s Dalgate area and was immediately rushed to a hospital. His condition is now stable.

Star News, reporting from the town besieged by fear and Indian security forces, said three Congress party candidates from Srinagar also had a narrow escape in a grenade attack by militants on the party headquarters.

Militants lobbed a grenade at the party office around 2.50pm(IST), which fell near the fence injuring two security personnel.

Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, Nazir Ahmad Peer and Abdul Gani Khan, who are contesting the elections from Batmaloo, Hazratbal and Eidgah respectively, were holding meetings with their supporters in the office when the attack took place.

It was the second grenade attack on Congress headquarters since Aug 2.

Also on Tuesday, one person was killed and 14 injured when militants hurled a grenade towards a security vehicle at Lal Chowk in Anantnag around 11.30 am.

The grenade missed the vehicle and exploded on the road and the militants escaped taking advantage of the panic caused by the explosion.

Paramilitary forces have cordoned the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the militants responsible for the blast.

“As violence in the valley refuses to ebb, an independent candidate from Lolab constituency in Kupwara district has threatened to pull out from the elections alleging inadequate security by the ruling National Conference and inaction of the election machinery,” Star News said.

“I have been provided with security officials, who at times I have to protect. When my friend (the late minister) Mushtaq Ahmad Lone was killed, these people ran for cover instead of securing him. What kind of security is this?” candidate Abdul Haq Khan told the news channel.

“I will have to rethink about my participation in the polls if the present scenario regarding my security and malpractices indulged in by the ruling party continue,” said Abdul Haq Khan.—J.N