SRINAGAR, Jan 25: An Indian Border Security Force officer was killed on Sunday in an ambush by suspected freedom fighters in the occupied Kashmir despite tightened security all across the country ahead of India's Republic Day on Monday, a police spokesman said.
He said militants, armed with assault rifles and grenades, ambushed a convoy of the BSF in Higam, 40 kilometres North of Srinagar, which is considered to be a Hizbul Mujahideen stronghold.
Deputy Commandant Niranjal Pal, working with the BSF's medical wing, sustained head and chest wounds which killed him on the spot, adding the village was sealed off and a search launched for the fighters.
BLACK DAY: Kashmiris living along both sides of the Line of Control, especially the people in the held Jammu and Kashmir, will observe the Indian Republic Day as Black Day to apprise the world of the massive violations of human rights by the occupying forces, representatives of liberation organizations said on Sunday.
In the occupied Kashmir, a general strike will be observed on the call of groups fighting Indian occupation, including the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, reports said. Protest rallies and demonstra-tions would also be organized by various groups.
SECURITY BLANKET: Troops were put on high alert all across India, especially in northeastern parts of the country, where at least 60,000 soldiers were deployed following separatist attacks and a call to boycott the Republic Day, officials said.
"Security forces were put on maximum alert across seven northeastern states - where at least 10 groups are fighting for secession - with troops carrying out aerial surveillance over vital installations," an army commander said.
At least nine separatist groups called a general strike in five of the region's seven states, excluding Mizoram and Nagaland. In New Delhi, security was beefed up at vital installations, including airport and other public places while the Rajpath - where the main ceremony will take place - resembled a military garrison Sunday, police and witnesses said. Officials said helicopters and armed commandos will maintain air and route surveillance during the parade.
Heavy contingents of military and para military troops have been deployed in all small and major towns and cities in the occupied Kashmir to ward off any untoward incident.
"Level of security, mobilisation (of troops), surprise checks, frisking has been intensified," said K. Srinivasan, a senior BSF official said. The main event in the troubled Valley will be held in Jammu at the Bakhshi stadium, which was combed with mine detectors by the security personnel. Officials said the army has installed anti-aircraft guns at three places around the stadium to prevent attacks.
ARRESTS: Police officials on Sunday said they had arrested a cell of heavily-armed guerrillas, who, they said, had been planning to attack the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Monday.
"The level of security alert is now on maximum," Ashok Chand, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said. He said three members of Lashkar-e-Taiba had been detained in New Delhi along with three kilogrammes of high-grade explosive, adding rocket-propelled grenades, detonators and timers were also recovered from them.
ARMS RECOVERED: In Indian occupied Kashmir, troops Sunday recovered 12 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 93 grenades, 41 rockets, 80 boosters and detonators and 10 remote-controlled improvised explosive devices from two different places in the Kupwara district, an army officer said. Major-General J.K. Mohanty said the seizure also includes five pistols, two rifles, and bomb-making material.
In Srinagar, security forces on Sunday recovered 20 kilograms of deadly RDX (research developed explosives) from a downtown area, a police spokesman said.-Agencies