Fidayeen attack on Cong. rally in Kashmir, 7killed

Srinagar, May 21 : At least four civilians, two militants and a policeman were killed and 30 others, including a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official, wounded in a ''fidayeen (suicide)'' attack on a Congress rally here today.

Police said four civilians, the fidayeen and a police constable were killed in the attack and several others, including Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir K Rajendra Kumar, wounded in the attack on the public meeting organised by the state Congress to mark the 15th death anniversary of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sher-i-Kashmir Municipal Park here.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was scheduled to arrive at the venue barely minutes before the incident. The attack came two days ahead of the second round-table on Kashmir to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for two days from May 24 and few hours after militants warned that all preparations have been done to sabotage the conference.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sheikh Faisal Ahmed, Station House Officer (SHO) Kothi Bagh Police Station Shabir Ahmed and several of their colleagues besides many civilians were also injured in the attack by the militants at 1315 hrs this afternoon, they added.

The Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Al Mansoorian militant outfits have claimed the responsibility for the attack. Official sources said the fidayeen, believed to be two in number and dressed in police uniform, started firing and hurled grenades at the meeting when Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed was addressing the gathering.

They said one of the fidayeen, standing near the dais, pointed his gun at many top state Congress leaders, including Mr Sayeed, and started firing indiscriminately.

The militant was later killed by the security forces in the gunfight while his associate was reportedly firing and hurling grenades in the Polo Ground area here.

The sources said many senior civil administration officials were also reportedly wounded in the attack at the rally held near the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a ruling coalition partner in Jammu and Kashmir.

IGP Kumar suffered bullet wounds and was rushed to the Sri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital here and was immediately taken to the operation theatre. He has been shifted to the multi-speciality Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura here.

Loud explosions and gunshots were still heard in the entire Civil Lines area. The gunfight was on when reports last came in.

Security forces have sealed all the entry and exit points in the summer capital, and a curfew-like situation is prevailing in the entire city following the attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress had also organised a rally at the same venue, where All India Youth Congress President Ashok Tanwar was scheduled to address the meeting.

Mr Azad had recently expressed apprehension about mischief by ''some boys'', apparently referring to militants, coinciding with the round-table and Dr Singh's two-day visit to the Valley.

Al Nasireen, Farzandan-e-Millat, Save Kashmir Movement and Al Arifeen militant outfits, in a faxed statement to the local media here, threatened to attack and sabotage the second round-table conference on Kashmir to be chaired by the Prime Minister here for two days from May 24.

A joint spokesman of the outfits, Abdul Sameeh, said ''all preparations to sabotage the round-table conference have been completed''.

UNI

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