One BSF jawan dead; camp attacked in J and K

Srinagar, Mar 19 (UNI) A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed and six others were wounded in a hand grenade attack by militants at Sopore, about 50 km from here in north Kashmir, this afternoon.

Elsewhere in the state a security force camp was attacked while one militant surrendered and two others were arrested during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said militants hurled a hand grenade at a BSF bunker near a State Bank of India (SBI) branch at Sopore.

The grenade exploded near the bunker killing the BSF jawan on the spot and injuring six others. The injured were hospitalised.

Later, militants flung another grenade towards a security force picket near a cinema hall. However, it missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside without causing any damage.

Militants attacked a security force camp with rockets and automatic weapons in north Kashmir late last night, official sources said today.

They said militants fired rockets towards a security force camp at Sheikhnar Sogam late last night from a distance.

Security forces retaliated the fire and the exchange continued for about two hours.

Unconfirmed reports said the camp building was damaged in the attack.

However, there was no report of any casualty.

Sources said militants later managed to escape. Security forces have launched a massive hunt to nab the militants, they added.

Four militants outfits -- Lashker-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkatul-Mujahideen and Albadr -- have claimed the responsibility for the attack.

They claimed that around twelve security personnel were killed or wounded in the joint attack.

An official spokesman said security forces arrested two militants along with one AK rifle, one magzine, 25 rounds and one hand grenade at Doda and Pulwama while one ultra surrendered along with one AK rifle, one magazine, 27 rounds of ammunition and four hand grenades at Poonch last night.

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