December 20, 2008	Saturday	Zilhaj 21, 1429

SRINAGAR, Dec 19: An Indian soldier and five militants were killed in gunbattles in occupied Kashmir, where troops patrolled deserted streets ahead of a planned anti-India rally, officials said on Friday.

Among those killed was a senior military commander for banned group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which India blamed for last month’s attacks on Mumbai, the Indian military said.

It identified him as Iqbal Malik, who it said was the LeT military commander for southern Kashmir. The military said Malik was killed with two other fighters when they became trapped in a cave during a gunbattle in mountains in Doda district south of Srinagar on Friday.

“Three LeT militants, including senior commander Iqbal Malik, who got holed up in a mountain cave were killed after a fierce eight-hour-long encounter today,” an army spokesman said.

The Indian soldier was also killed during the gunbattle at the cave, the spokesman said. Two militants were killed in another gunfight in northern Kashmir late on Thursday, he said.

In occupied Srinagar, meanwhile, shops, schools and government buildings were closed on Friday after the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference called for a general strike in protest against the multi-phase elections.

Thousands of troops patrolled deserted streets and sealed off residential areas in an attempt to thwart a planned anti-election rally, local officials said.

“The elections have no legitimacy in Kashmir as they are being held in presence of over ten lakh (one million) troops. People have been coerced and lured to vote in the name of development and jobs,” said moderate Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Farooq and hardline leader Syed Ali Geelani were placed under house arrest on Friday. Others have been detained since voting began last month.

Residents said they were being confined to their homes by the security forces, even though there was no formal curfew in force.

“The troops outnumber the population of Srinagar,” said Farooq.—Agencies