Three Kashmir policemen injured in grenade attack, one militant caught

The attack took place in Pattan town of Baramulla district as a police party was searching vehicles on the Baramulla-Srinagar national highway after inputs that militants were travelling on a passenger vehicle

Three policemen, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured in a grenade attack in Pattan town of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district Wednesday as they were searching for militants suspected to be travelling on a passenger vehicle.

Three personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were injured in a grenade attack in Baramulla district (Representative photo) (PTI)

The police managed to arrest one of the militants while the other managed to escape.

The attack took place near Babateng in Pattan when a police party led by DSP Zaffar Ahmad was checking vehicles on the national highway.

Baramulla’s senior superintendent of police Imtiaz Hussain said that based on an input that some militants were travelling on the Baramulla-Srinagar national highway, a police party was deployed for checking the vehicles. ‘’As a passenger vehicle was signalled to stop, militants in the vehicle lobbed a hand grenade on the police party... an officer and two policemen were injured,’’ he said.

Following the attack, police launched search and cordon operation in the area to track down the militants.

The SSP said the fleeing militants were chased and one caught. The arrested militant was identified as Faizan Majeed Bhat of Naibug Tral who had got recruited into the Tehreek ul Mujahideen on October 3, while the other who escaped was Showkat Ahmad Bhat of Awantipore, he added.

Many other people and travellers in the area said they had a narrow escape. “It was a big explosion. I saw few vehicles getting damaged after the blast. People stated running for cover,’’ said civilian Ishfaq Ahmad who was travelling towards Srinagar in his private vehicle. “I, along with many people, had a narrow escape.’’