Srinagar: Two security personnel have been killed and three civilians injured as terrorists on Wednesday struck in the heart of Srinagar, entering a hotel lobbing grenades.
The policeman, identified as Mohammed Yusuf who was posted as driver of the Station House Officer of Maisuma Police station, was killed during the attack, official sources said.
The other security personnel killed belonged to Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Three civilians, including Rauf, a cameraman of a Delhi-based private news channel, were also injured and have been rushed to a hospital, they said.
The terrorists are believed to be holed up in the hotel adjacent to historic Amira Kadal bridge in Lal Chowk area. The police had recently claimed that there had been a drop in terrorist violence.
Exchange of fire between the terrorists and the security personnel is continuing.
Grenade explosions and random gun-shots were heard till late in the afternoon, triggering panic among people.
The terrorists, believed to be fidayeen (suicide squad), initially lobbed grenades on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) picket at Pladium Chowk and followed it by indiscriminate firing around 1415 hrs IST.
The CRPF and police personnel deployed in the area retaliated and the terrorists, whose number could not be ascertained immediately, reportedly took shelter inside a hotel. They opened fire and lobbed grenades on the security forces.
The whole area was immediately cordoned off to neutralise the terrorists, a police officer said.
Immediately after the attack, people, including shopkeepers, present in the area fled to safety, while traffic went off the roads.
The entire area wore a deserted look with reinforcements rushing to the scene to tackle the situation arising out of the attack in the Valley in more than two years.
The last suicide attack was carried out in Dal Lake area of Srinagar in October 2007 in which two terrorists were killed and three securitymen injured.
Wednesday's attack came a day after the National Conference-led coalition government completed its first year in office and listed in its achievements, improved security situation.
Meanwhile, a person claiming to be spokesman of terrorist outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen (JUM) said his group had carried out the attack to "send a message that militancy is not over in Kashmir".
"Our three members are involved in the attack. While one of them hurled the grenades, other two opened fire and are engaged in gunbattle," the caller introducing himself as Jameel Ahmad said.
He refused to divulge the names of the terrorists involved in the attack.
Comments
0 comment