Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=02/23/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=India Kashmir (L-only)

NUMBER=2-272926

BYLINE=Anjana Pasricha

DATELINE=New Delhi

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

//Editors Please adjust changing casualty figures in the intro//

INTRO: Five policemen and one civilian have been killed and two other people seriously injured by suspected Muslim militants in Indian Kashmir. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the violence comes a day after India extended its unilateral ceasefire in the insurgency-wracked region.

TEXT: Indian authorities say the policemen were killed Friday when Muslim separatist guerrillas ambushed the vehicle in which they were travelling in the Kokernag area, about 80 kilometers south of the Kashmiri summer capital Srinagar. A civilian passing by was also killed.

More than a dozen Muslim separatist groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority state. All these groups have rejected the ceasefire as a ploy to win international sympathy, and have stepped-up

attacks against security forces.

While extending the ceasefire, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had warned that India's patience with Muslim militants had its limits and said security forces will act decisively against organizations and elements that are against the peace process.

Tensions also remained high in Kashmir which has been gripped with civil unrest in the past week. Normal activity was paralyzed in several towns as

businesses shut down and most commercial vehicles stayed off the roads.

Dozens of people came out into the streets after Friday prayers in Srinagar to protest the killings of civilians by army troops who had fired at demonstrators during the past week. Police wielded canes and fired tear

gas to disperse stone-throwing protestors.

Senior Indian officials say violence continues in Kashmir despite the ceasefire due to Pakistan's inability to curb separatist militants.

Islamabad denies backing the militants and says the ceasefire has changed nothing on the ground.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and is claimed by both countries. (signed)

NEB/AP/PLM