A policeman and a civilian died in a strategic double attack launched by militants at a police station in Sopore on Friday.
The militants first lobbed a grenade at the police station in Sopore town in the northern district of Baramulla, 54 km from Srinagar.
The grenade rolled down the roof of the police station building and exploded on the road.
About an hour later, as the police and the CRPF were cordoning off the site, the militants fired from the other side. The troops fired back.
Four policemen and a civilian were injured in the shootout.
“A civilian was injured in the explosion,” added DIG north AQ Manhas. Mohammed Latief was a Congress worker.
The grenade explosion caused panic in the area. People downed their shutters and fled the spot.
Witnesses said that an hour later, the militants reappeared. “As the police officers reached the spot and started taking stock of the situation, militants hiding somewhere started firing on the police near the gate of the police station, resulting in a gunbattle,” said a nearby shopowner.
Baramulla SSP Shakeel Beigh said that after the explosion, as the police and the CRPF had gathered at the site, the militants fired again. The troops fired back.
{{/usCountry}}Baramulla SSP Shakeel Beigh said that after the explosion, as the police and the CRPF had gathered at the site, the militants fired again. The troops fired back.
{{/usCountry}}This is the second major attack in Sopore in the last 17 days. On December 30, four CRPF personnel were killed when militants fired on a CRPF patrol party in Janwara area of Sopore town.