Search the Internet          Tips

Gunbattle in city centre claims 5 in J&K

Five persons, including a militant of the frontline Lashkar-e-Tayiba, were killed in a fierce gun-battle in the heavily guarded city centre of Lal Chowk on Saturday evening.

This is for the first time in several years that militants and security forces exchanged heavy fire in the city centre.

Paramilitary troops later cordoned off the entire city centre and mounted massive searches which continued till late evening.

Sources said two Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants, wearing police uniforms, were drinking tea in a hotel in Lal Chowk when a local police party entered following rain that lashed the capital city Saturday evening.

The policemen, while talking to the militants, got suspicious and asked for their identities.

The militants opened fire from automatic weapons on the two police guards of the local station house officer, killing two.

A Border Security Force party manning a bunker, after hearing the shots, rushed into the hotel, but they came under heavy fire, resulting in serious injuries to three of their members.

A BSF soldier identified as head constable B K Nair succumbed to injuries in the hospital late in evening. The condition of another injured BSF soldier was serious.

A militant escaped from the hotel, while another died in the encounter with the BSF.

The firing triggered off panic, with shoppers running for security. Shopkeepers downed shutters even as heavy rain lashed the city.

The firing led to traffic jams in the city centre and passengers were seen jumping out of vehicles running for cover.

Troops mounted massive searches in the city centre area after it was sealed off. The cordon was later lifted by the BSF and police.

The LeT claimed responsibility for the attack.

LeT spokesman Abu Osma telephoned newspapers in Srinagar to claim responsibility for the attack.

The Kashmir Cease-Fire: The Complete Coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report