SRINAGAR: Suspected militants have opened fire at two places in Kashmir capital Srinagar a day before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the valley, killing eight soldiers and wounding several others.
Eyewitnesses said that the militants reached Gulburg Colony, Hyderpora Bypass by a motorbike and opened fire and lobbed grenades at a security convoy.
Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), colonel Naresh Vig told FreePress said that eight soldiers have died and six others are wounded.
He said that a search operation by the army and the police is still on.
“An inquiry has been ordered to find out why it (the attack) happened).”
Police said that the militants then fled and minutes later fired at Barzulla, barely a few kilometres away from the earlier shooting site, wounding a sub-inspector of the paramilitary CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).
CRPF soldiers, while shifting their wounded colleague to hospital, fired into the air at Karan Nagar outside the SMHS (Shri Maharaja Harisingh Hospital).
TV news channels report that the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
This is the second attack by suspected militants in the past three days.
On Saturday, two policemen were shot dead at point blank range at Harisingh High Street area in the commercial hub of Srinagar.
Violence involving militants and security forces has dropped sharply in Kashmir. But encounters and shoot-outs do take place randomly.
Also Read: Chronology: Attacks during VVIPs visits to Kashmir
