HEADLINES POLL ARCHIVES FEEDBACK SEARCH REDIFF NEWSLINKS US EDITION NEWS DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ARCHIVES
Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar
Militants hiding in a house took two police officers and a radio operator hostage late on Monday evening at Gogji Bagh in uptown Srinagar, hours before the second phase of polling was to begin.
A party led by Superintendent of Police Mukesh Singh and other officers was busy sanitizing the area after being tipped off about the presence of militants there when it was fired upon.
The raiding party was attacked with grenades and assault rifles. SP Singh's bodyguard Jagdev Singh was killed on the spot, while two others were injured. A wireless operator, who was trapped inside, jumped from the third floor of the house and was seriously wounded. He is now in hospital in a critical condition.
Police sources in Srinagar said the SDPO (Sadar), Mohammad Youssuf Band, and the Rajbagh station house officer, J B Singh, were being held hostage in the house. But the third captive, identified as Bashir Ahmed, escaped under heavy intermittent gunfire.
"They went inside the house where the militants were hiding and we are trying to reach them," an officer said. "We have no contact with them. The Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force personnel have cordoned off the house.
No movement is being allowed in the area and power supply to Jawahar Nagar was cut off on Monday night. Police said the area is under a tight cordon. The polling booth in the area is located near the site of the encounter.
With inputs from PTI
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
