SUSPECTED MILITANTS SHOT DEAD AT LEAST 22 HINDUS IN TWO SMALL VILLAGES IN INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR ON MONDAY, OFFICIALS SAID. THE MASSACRE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN RECENT MONTHS, TOOK PLACE JUST DAYS BEFORE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH HOLDS TALKS WITH KASHMIRI SEPARATISTS IN NEW DELHI AND LATER TRAVELS TO THE VIOLENT REGION FOR A "ROUNDTABLE" CONFERENCE WITH KASHMIRIS. MILITANTS STRUCK THE REMOTE HINDU-DOMINATED MOUNTAINOUS VILLAGES IN DODA DISTRICT, SOME 170 KM (100 MILES) NORTHEAST OF JAMMU, KASHMIR'S WINTER CAPITAL, EARLY ON MONDAY, POLICE SAID. NO MILITANT GROUP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK IN WHICH NINE PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED, FIVE CRITICALLY. "THEY (THE VILLAGERS) WERE ASKED TO ASSEMBLE OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OF THE VILLAGE HEAD AND LATER SHOT DEAD BY THE MILITANTS," GULZAR AHMED QURESHI, A TOP DODA OFFICIAL, TOLD REUTERS. "YES, THEY ARE ALL HINDUS," HE ADDED. "THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT WHEN THINGS WERE LOOKING UP FOR PEACEFUL DAYS AHEAD." ONE WOUNDED MAN TOLD SAHARA NEWS TELEVISION CHANNEL OVER THE TELEPHONE THAT MILITANTS HAD COME IN THE NIGHT AND ASKED PEOPLE TO COME OUT OF THEIR HOMES. "THEY TOOK ONE MAN FROM EACH HOUSE. THE OTHERS THEY TOLD TO GO INSIDE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SET US FREE LATER. AFTER GOING SOME DISTANCE, THEY STARTED BEATING US UP AND THEN OPENED FIRE," THE WITNESS SAID. THE HIZBUL MUJAHIDEEN, THE LARGEST KASHMIRI MILITANT GROUP, DENIED ANY ROLE IN THE ATTACK. "WE STRONGLY CONDEMN THESE KILLINGS WHICH SEEM TO BE A CONSPIRACY OF INDIAN SECURITY AGENCIES TO MALIGN THE ONGOING FREEDOM STRUGGLE AND MUJAHIDEENS (HOLY WARRIORS)," A SPOKESMAN OF HIZBUL MUJAHIDEEN SAID IN A TELEPHONE CALL TO LOCAL NEWSPAPER OFFICES IN SRINAGAR, THE STATE'S SUMMER CAPITAL.
