JK: 4 killed as mob sets afire police station

Four civilians were killed and 35 others injured when a mob set afire a police station, where explosives were stored, triggering a massive blast in Khrew area on outskirts of Srinagar city.

A mob had laid siege to the police station, 20 km from here, and started pelting stones after which additional forces were rushed to the area who rescued the police personnel in the police station.

Police said a loud explosion took place as the protesters set afire the abandoned police station, where some explosive materials besides a cooking gas cylinder were also kept. Four civilians were killed and 25 others injured in the explosion, they said.

Protesters had earlier attempted to set afire a police post in Khrew and take away the weapons. As the crowd refused to calm down, police fired at them leading to the death of a woman identified as Afrosa.

Barring Handwara, Baramulla town, Budgam, Awanitipora and Ganderbal, curfew remained in force in rest of the Valley.

With Kashmir valley facing fresh unrest, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed for peace and also vowed not to allow perpetrators of violence "to win".

Asking people to cooperate with him to help restore calm in the state, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said he was willing to take "10 steps" forward and appealed to them to take at least "one step" and help create a situation conducive to end the cycle of violence.

With Agency inputs