950821

7 army recruits

kidnapped in

held Kashmir:

one killed

SRINAGAR: Muslim militants have abducted seven Indian army recuits in occupied Kashmir, and one of the hostages was killed later, police said on Monday.

The seven were in a vehicle which was stopped by a band of armed men at Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar late Saturday and dragged away, the police said. The recruits were reportedly unarmed.

No one claimed responsibility for the daring kidnapping, but officials blamed Muslim militants.

Police sources said the body of one of the kidnap victims was later found by residents, while another recruit escaped.

The fate of the remaining five was not known, the sources said.

More than 20,000 people have died since 1989 in the bloody separatist campaign in Kashmir.-AFP