ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Six policemen killed in Kashmir

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Six personnel of the Special Operations Group were killed and five others, including four Central Reserved Police Force personnel, were wounded in a blast at Seri Gufwara in Anantang district this afternoon.

This is the fifth blast in the past 10 days in south Kashmir. Today's blast brings to 21 the toll in the blasts. The Srinagar police said militants set off a powerful landmine planted under a bridge at Seri Gufwara when a vehicle carrying the SOG personnel was passing over.

Messages were flashed to the district headquarters at Anantnag and the police rushed in with reinforcements. The injured were shifted to Anantnag and later some of them were transferred to Srinagar.

Those killed included sub-inspector Naresh Kumar, head constable Hakim Din and four constables. The bodies were shifted later this afternoon to Anantnag.

Only few days ago, family members of former Union minister of state for internal security Mohammad Maqbool Dar were injured near Anantnag. Dar's son, daughter and son-in-law are currently undergoing treatment in Soura Medical Institute in Srinagar.

Police officials said today's blast was a setback to the anti-militancy drive in south Kashmir where, they say, pro-Pakistan militants have been trying to regroup.

The officials say the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkatul Ansar were active in some areas.

A senior police officer said security forces and the SOG have intensified searches in south Kashmir to flush out militants, particularly foreigners.

In another incident yesterday, four foreign militants were killed in a fierce encounter with army personnel near Barramullah.

The police said the troops were conducting searches when they were fired upon. In the exchange that followed, four militants were killed and arms and ammunition recovered.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report