vIndianz.com (07 Jan, 2010) — Security forces on Thursday stormed the hotel in Lal Chowk killing two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists as well as a Pakistani in the 22-hour Srinagar gun battle.
The action intensified on Thursday morning, even as the death toll in the main terror attack in the heart of the city rose to two with a civilian succumbing to injuries.
“The encounter is over. Two terrorists have been killed. We are ascertaining if there are any more terrorists inside the hotel who may be dead,” Kuldeep Khoda, DGP, told reporters.
He said a policeman was killed and a CRPF official and eight civilians were wounded when the terrorists opened fire and lobbed grenades when they were checked at a police post in the Lal Chowk area. One of the civilians succumbed to his injuries today, he said.
He said concentrated efforts were being made by Pakistani terrorists to strike targets in J&K. “There is extreme anxiety in infiltration, there is extreme anxiety in carrying out such attacks,” he said.
The Pakistani terrorist was recognized by the security agencies through wireless intercepts as Qari whereas the other was named as Usman from Sopore.
Hotel Panjab in Lal Chowk caught fire this morning as the security forces inched nearer to the terrorist who was supposed to be holed up in the top floor and was hurling grenades and firing at them.
The operation launched by police and paramilitary CRPF to counterbalance the terrorists was suspended at around 11pm on Wednesday was resumed at 0700 hours today, officials said.
In the meantime, one of the eight civilians wounded in the incident on Wednesday succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning at the SHMS hospital, the officials said.
One policeman was killed when the terrorists hurled grenades at security forces in Lal Chowk area prior to entering the hotel. Numerous people were rescued by authorities from the region.
Lal Chowk has witnessed quite a few such attacks in the over 20-year-long militancy. It is thronged by thousands of people every day.
This is the first terrorist attack after two years in the Kashmir valley and has come at a time when the state government has been claiming a quick decline in violence here.
Further Reading- 3 cops killed in third Naxal strike – Hindustan Times
- Over 100 militants attack Pakistan’s northwest – Reuters
- Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Border Fighting – New York Times
- Two CRPF jawans injured in Saranda forest encounter – Times of India
- Two CRPF jawans injured in Saranda forest encounter – Times of India
- Efforts still on to douse fire at Delhi’s Chandni Chawk – Times of India
- Day-long Attack Kills 23 in Northwestern Pakistan – Voice of America
- Eleven killed in wider Syria military push: lawyer – Reuters
- Eleven killed in wider Syria military push: lawyer – Reuters
- Eleven killed in wider Syria military push: lawyer – Reuters
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