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35 Sikhs killed in

occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Thirty-five Sikhs have been gunned down by armed agents of the Indian forces and other agencies at village Chatti Singhopra, 68 kilometres from here late last night on Monday.

According to Kashmir Media Service, three critically injured persons were rushed to the hospital in Srinagar. Reports say a group of armed men in uniforms came to the village during the night and asked the Sikh villagers to come out of their homes and as soon as they stepped out the armed men opened fire on them, killing 34 on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries.

This is the first time the Sikh community has been targetted in the on-going mayhem in the occupied Valley. The killing spree took place at a time when few hours were left in President Clinton's arrival in India from Bangladesh.

The incident is yet another crude attempt by India to suppress the Kashmiris' struggle for their rights by giving it a communal colouring.

The Indian government had been accusing the Sikhs of aligning themselves with the Kashmiris in their on-going struggle.

Meanwhile, Supreme Commander, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Chairman of the United Jehad Council Syed Salahuddin Ahmad condemning the abominable killing of 35 Sikhs has described it as a pre-meditated act by India's agencies to malign the freedom struggle launched by the Kashmiris for their inalienable rights. He added that the killing of Sikhs is a condemnable act of the Indian government to project the freedom movement in occupied Kashmir as an act of terrorism, communalism and violence.

Syed Salahuddin Ahmad stressed that the same hands are behind this cowardly act of bloodshed which had been involved in the desecration of the Sikhs' most holy shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.

Omar Farooq condemns killing

SRINAGAR: Kashmir's chief clerick Omar Farooq, also condemned the killing of 35 Sikhs in occupied Kashmir last night.

As with past attacks on Hindu villagers, Farooq blamed the latest massacre on the Indian security forces, accusing them of trying to enflame communal tensions and malign the Muslim freedom movement. "Kashmiris never believe in such senseless killings," Farooq told AFP. "The killings have been deliberately carried out by the security agencies ahead of Clinton's visit."ÑAPP