Monday, May 1 2006 11:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: In a pre-dawn strike, militants today (May 1, 2006) killed 22 Hindus and seriously injured five others in remote villages of Panjdobi and Thava in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Heavily-armed Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, wearing combat dress, gathered the villagers outside the houses of the heads of Panjdobi and Thava hamlets in Udhayanpur belt of the district around 2 a.m., over 350 kms from Jammu city, and shot dead 22 Hindus, Inspector General of Police, Jammu, S P Vaid told sources.

Five others were seriously injured in the firing, he said adding an ex-serviceman, who escaped from the spot, later informed the police about the killings.

Brigadier A K Chowdary said army choppers were being pressed into service to rescue the injured persons.