Farooq asks people to make rational choice in forthcoming Assembly elections

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president and Member of Parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said the people of the state have to make a rational choice for the greater interests of Jammu and Kashmir in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Addressing devotees at Baba Nagri Kangan in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, former Chief Minister said, “Forces as are ‘inimical’ to the interests of the state will use all possible means to ‘influence’ the process of elections. However during the just concluded elections to Parliament, we the people audaciously dispirited the resolve of such forces. We have won the first battle but the biggest battle is ahead of us, we should not let complacency overwhelm us.”
Anantnag Encounter: Militant killed, 2 others escape; Searches on
Anantnag: A militant was killed in an encounter that broke out between government forces and militants in Nowgam, Shahabad in Verinag belt of Anantnag district on Saturday morning while as two others managed to escape, security officials told .
They said that an unidentified militant has been killed in an ongoing encounter between militants and security forces in Verinag. “A cordon-and-search operation was launched by a joint team of Army’s 19 RR, CRPF and SoG in the area,” the officials said. “The cordon and search operation was launched after the security forces received specific inputs that some militants were hiding in the area.”
As forces zeroed towards the suspected spot, hiding militants fired upon forces triggering an encounter, he said. “After intense firing, an unidentified militant body was recovered. Two others managed to escape from the spot,” an official said, on the condition of ayonimity