NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Security forces smash building, kill militants

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Security forces blasted with mortars a building of the paramilitary Border Security Force stormed by militants late yesterday at Chanpora in uptown Srinagar and killed two militants who had holed up there.

All the nearly 20 BSF soldiers who were inside the building came out safely this morning. In the gun battle that lasted nearly 18 hours, three persons, including two militants and a BSF head constable were killed, and four soldiers were injured.

The police said militants wearing army fatigues alighted from a Maruti car at the company headquarters of the 173 battalion BSF stationed in the old SICOP building. As the car left, the two militants opened fire on the sentry post and forced their way into the camp building.

The militants later barricaded themselves in a room, opening fire and hurling hand grenades. The head constable was killed and the other personnel injured in the firing. The injured personnel have been shifted to the army base hospital.

Troops encircled the building and exchanged fire with the militants. The troops shelled mortars and opened fire on the rooms. The building collapsed early this morning. Senior police and security force officers who were overseeing the operation ordered a search of the debris.

However as the troops advanced they came under heavy fire from the militants. The remaining portion of the building was blasted away later.

Bodies of two militants were recovered. Sources here admit that fidayeen suicide squads have added a new dimension to militancy in Kashmir. However they said that effective measures were being taken to tackle the fidayeen.

Lashkar-e-Toiba has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.

Earlier, militants stormed several army and paramilitary camps in Kashmir. And, in a fierce gun battle, four foreign militants were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces at Zakura in the city.

Meanwhile, life in the entire Kashmir valley was paralysed in view of a general strike to called by the separatist All-Parties Huriyat Conference to what the APHC said "focus world attention on Kashmir" and on alleged human rights violations.

Srinagar wore a deserted look as all shops and businesses remained closed. Traffic remained off the roads. The authorities had made tight security arrangements to maintain law and order. In the Jammu city a large number of Sikhs came out on the streets, defying curfew restrictions and demanding the dismissal of the National Conference government in the state. They later marched to Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum to the governor.

Yesterday, the army staged a flag march in the curfew-bound areas. The administration imposed a curfew and increased security in Jammu after 35 Sikh villagers were killed at Chatti Singhpora yesterday.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report