Author: Express News Service
Publication: www.expressindia.com
Date: February 1, 2002
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=7063
Militants struck early on Friday
morning at Neeram Top in Mahore tehsil, Udhampur, killing two shepherds.
Identified as Malik Shah alias Dilloo and Ghulam Hussain, both resident
of Sui Batholi in Mahore, their throats were slit by the attackers.
Sources said the shepherds had gone
to a pasture near Neeram Top to graze their cattle and had decided to stay
the night in a small hut nearby.
At 1.30 a.m., a group of armed militants
reportedly broke into the hut and dragged them out. After taking them few
metres away, the militants slit their throats.
Before leaving the spot the militants
also left a note warning the villagers of similar fate if they dared venture
into the area or stayed in any of the huts.
On Friday morning, police rushed
to the spot and the area has been cordoned off.
This, however, is not the first
instance of militants targeting villagers in the area. Over 20 people have
been killed in similar brutal manner in the past few months.
