Militants storm govt building in Kashmir, civilians trapped
Three soldiers, a civilian killed in highway gunbattle
srinagar — Gunmen on Saturday stormed a government-run training institute on the outskirts of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir with over a hundred people inside, wounding six, police said, adding that firing was ongoing.
“Two to three militants entered the building injuring six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the initial assault,” Javaid Gillani, inspector general of police for the region, said.
The militants were suspected to be anti-India rebels, Gillani added, adding that no one was being held inside the building against their will. Witnesses said three militants entered the complex which houses the government-run Entrepreneurship Development Institute, asking everyone inside to “save themselves” and move to a nearby hostel.
“They barged into the reception area as Central Reserve Police Force soldiers were firing towards them. They asked everyone to save themselves and go to the next building,” a witness who worked at the institute said, asking to remain anonymous. Before entering the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute building “militants attacked a Central Reserve Police Force bus on the Jammu-Srinagar highway near Pampore town in Pulwama district today (Saturday) evening,” a senior police officer said.
Three Central Reserve Police Force troopers and a civilian were killed and at least 10 other people including civilians injured in the gunfight between guerrillas and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
“ElevenCentral Reserve Police Force troopers travelling in the bus were injured in the attack. Three of the injured troopers identified as head constable G.D. Bhola Prasad of the 144 Battalion, constable-driver R.K. Raina of the 79 Battalion and one more succumbed to their injuries while other injured are being treated in the hospital,” the police officer added. —