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Militants attack cable operators in valley

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Militants today mounted a campaign against cable television operators and video libraries in Srinagar. Four people, including three cable television operators and a video library owner, were seriously injured after militants fired on them in downtown Srinagar this afternoon.

The police said militants opened fire on the cable operators who were busy laying cables at Lal Bazaar in downtown Srinagar. Gulzar Ahmad Sheikh, Tanveer Ahmed and Muzaffar Ahmad received bullet injuries in their lower limbs and were rushed to a hospital in Soura. They were later shifted to the Bone and Joint hospital in Barzalla.

A police officer told this correspondent that the militants then struck near Rajouri Kadal in the old quarter of Srinagar and attacked a video library owner. They fired at Tufail Ahmad in the foot from close range. No group has admitted responsibility for the attacks.

This is the first time that militants have fired at cable television owners and video library owners in the troubled city. A few months ago, militants had warned cable operators to shut down operations in Kashmir and had attacked satellite antennae in the summer capital. The cable operators then met All Parties Huriyat Conference chairman Sayed Ali Shah Geelani who told them to continue their operations.

The operators, however, decided not to air a few channels including MTV. A cable operator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "A few gunmen asked me to stop operations, saying the various channels were anti-Islamic."

In Batmaloo, a cable operator shut down operations recently, following repeated threats from unidentified militants.

Shocked cable operators held an emergency meeting this evening. "We will take a decision soon whether to continue our business or not," one operator said. Cable television commenced operations in Kashmir only last year.

Meanwhile, Professor Mohammad Ramzan, chairman Jamait-i-Ahle Hadieth who was attacked by gunmen last month and was undergoing treatment in hospital, succumbed to his bullet injuries today. His funeral was attended by thousands of Srinagar residents.

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