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9 villagers massacred in J&K

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Nine Hindu villagers have been gunned down by unidentified militants at Arhi Mendhar village in the troubled Poonch district, some 230 kilometres from Jammu.

Police sources said that a group of militants came to the village around midnight yesterday. Forcing their entry into two homes belonging to Jeevan Lal and Rattan Lal, they opened indiscriminate fire killing nine family members including a woman and two children.

One villager, whom the police identified as Rajesh, was critically wounded. He was shifted to a local hospital.

The Poonch deputy commissioner along with other senior police officers rushed to the village early this morning.

Sources said troops have also been rushed to the village and searches launched to nab those responsible for the massacre.

The victims have been identified as Jeevan Lal, Ashok Kumar, Rajeev, Ashu, Rattan Lal, Kuldeep, Chani, Des Raj and Rekha.

This is the third massacre of innocent civilians in the past four days.

The Kargil Crisis

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