Militants attack Kashmir police station

 An injured policeman lying on a stretcher in a hospital in Srinagar on Saturday

Four policemen were injured and as many civilians injured today in a grenade attack on a police station in Sopore by militants while no injuries were reported in the second such strike elsewhere in the valley, a day after Jammu and Kashmir police claimed militants were trying to target Srinagar city.

The first attack occurred at around 9.55am on a police station in Baramulla district in North Kashmir, leaving eight injured. A young boy clad in a school uniform hurled a grenade on the police station in Sopore, about 50km north of Srinagar. The grenade splinters injured both civilians and policemen.

"The injured were rushed to hospital where all of them have been declared out of danger,'' said Imtiaz Ahmad, SP of the area.

The second attack happened in the heart of the Srinagar on a police post in Batamaloo, 5km from city centre Lal Chowk, from where no injuries were reported.

A massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants responsible for the attack but no militant outfit has claimed responsibility so far.

"The boy was either school-going and looked like any regular student clad in a uniform and carrying a school bag. The hunt is on. We have some clues and are hopeful of nabbing him soon,'' said Ahmad.

Speaking at a function on Friday, Kashmir zone IGP SM Sahai had said that the militants were trying to carry out attacks in the valley, especially Srinagar.

The grenade attacks happened two days after police averted a major tragedy by detecting a powerful IED planted in an abandoned car at a busy bridge in Srinagar.

"Srinagar is being used as transit by militants. We have to work hard to ensure a safe Srinagar," Sahai said. "Now it takes little time for militants to enter Srinagar because of easy transport. They come, try and carry out attacks and leave," he added.

--Hindustan Times
May 19, 2012