Sopur, Jan 15: Two persons, including a policeman, were killed and six others wounded in a grenade explosion followed by a shootout in this north Kashmir town on Friday.
“Suspected militants hurled the grenade on Sopur police station this morning which exploded near the main gate,” witnesses told Greater Kashmir.
They said in the explosion Congress block president, Muhammad Lateef Mirchal, sustained injuries. “After the attack large contingent of police headed by the Assistant Superintendent of Police Sopur rushed to the spot to assess the situation. As they were taking the stock of the situation a group of heavily armed militants appeared on the spot and fired upon the police party,” witnesses said, adding, “The shootout continued for more than 25 minutes in which four policeman and two civilians were wounded.”
In the encounter four policemen Ghulam Nabi, Muhammad Shaban, Nazir Ahmed and Muhammad Amin and two civilians Parvez Ahmed and Nazir Ahmed were wounded. The injured were rushed to the Sub District Hospital Sopur, where a policeman Nazir Ahmed, and a civilian Parvez Ahmed, who had sustained bullet injuries in the abdomen, were declared brought dead.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Deputy Inspector General of police north Kashmir A Q Manhas said that militants lobbed a grenade on the police station, which hit the roof and exploded near the entrance.
“As we were laying the cordon, the militants hiding in a lane fired on policemen standing near the main gate of the police station, wounding four policemen and two civilians. One of our men and civilian succumbed.”
After the shootout ended police and paramilitary CRPF troopers launched searches in the area. However, no arrests were made.
A top police official said that troopers and policemen have been put on high alert in north Kashmir. “We are taking no risks as the militant activities are on rise in the area,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 IST