Srinagar, Nov 15: Militants on Thursday evening opened fire on two liquor shops housed in Hotel Heemal on The Boulevard here, killing one person and injuring four others, police said.
A police spokesman said an employee - Mushtaq Ahmad of Aloochi Bagh - was killed in the firing by the militants.
Ahmad had apparently died due to blood loss after bullet injury as the owner of the shop had downed the shutter while fleeing.
The employee's death came to light two hours after the shooting as his relatives came looking for him, the spokesman said.
Eyewitness said around 6:35 pm two pistol-borne youth simultaneously opened indiscriminate fire on two liquor shops.
“Scores of people were waiting in line to get liquor when two youth suddenly opened fire on them. We ran helter-skelter to save ourselves,” said Bhagat Ram, a salesman at one of the liquor shops. Another shopkeeper, who owns a shop adjacent to the liquor shops, said “we heard six to eight fire shots.” “First we took them as firecrackers. But in no time people started running here and there,” the shopkeeper said.
One of the shops attacked has been identified as Singh Wine Shop.
Police said the injured have been identified as Sunny Mehra and Ravi Kumar of Jammu, Muhammad Shareef Sheikh of Batamaloo and Fayaz Ahmed Khan of Aloochibagh Srinagar.
The injured were shifted to SMHS hospital. They were later shifted to Bone and Joints and SKIMS hospitals here. “Three of them had firearm injury in their legs, except Mehra who had three entry wounds in the lower abdomen. But he is out of danger,” said doctors.
Meanwhile, a caller identifying himself as Junaid-ul-Islam, spokesperson of Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. “Our men carried out the attack and we appeal parents to keep their children away from waywardness,” he told news gathering agency KNS, adding, “We want all the liquor shops in the valley to be closed.”
When contacted DIG, Central Kashmir range, Afatud-ul-Mujtaba, said: “It is premature to confirm number of militants who carried out the attack.”

Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST