Published: February 05, 2010

After 'Holy War' Pledge, Militants Kill Cop in Kashmir

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Srinagar, Feb 5: A day after militant leadership pledged to continue "holy war" for liberation of Kashmir from India, a heavily armed group of militants attacked a police patrol party in North Kashmir, killing a policeman and a civilian.

A senior police officer said two heavily armed militants fired from automatic weapons towards a patrol party of police at Main Chowk Sopore, some 55 kms North of Srinagar at around 2:30 pm on Friday. "A policeman and a civilian were killed and two civilians including a woman injured in the militant attack," he said.

One of the injured identified as Nazir Ahmad sustained critical injuries and has been admitted in a hospital in Srinagar, summer capital of Kashmir, for specialized treatment.

Immediately after the militant attack, police and paramilitary personnel laid siege around the area to flush out the militants responsible for the attack. However, no arrests were reported.

The locals alleged that after the shoot-out, the paramilitary personnel went berserk and barged into the residential houses, damaged the household goods and beat the inmates. "The soldiers also smashed window and glasspanes of some houses and parked vehicles," they said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the militant commanders based in Pakistan controlled Kashmir (PcK) on Thursday had pledged to continue "holy war" in Indian administered Kashmir till India withdraws its troops from the region and grants right to self determination to people of Kashmir to determine their fate.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.