SRINAGAR, August 15: Militants made an abortive bid on the lives of the deputy commissioner and police chief of Kupwara district despite tight security arrangements in connection with Independence day celebrations today.

Elsewhere in the Kashmir valley, five people, including two ultras, were killed while security forces arrested nine militants as another laid down arms since last night.Official sources said militants fired two rockets in quick succession at around 8.00 am to blow up the residential quarters of the deputy commissioner of Kupwara, Shah Latief, and the district police chief, Mohan Singh.

However, both the rockets missed their targets with one of them exploding in the air and the other hitting a nearby nallah without causing any damage, the sources said.Security forces have launched a massive hunt to nab the militants.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.