2 fidayeen, 4 jawans killed; operation ends in Srinagar

Srinagar, Oct 5: Two fidayeen of Al-Mansoorain and four security personnel were killed and 17 others, including four civilians, wounded in the 24-hour-long gunbattle which ensued after militants made an abortive bid to storm the Dashnami Akhara, housing the holy Mace of Lord Shiva in Srinagar yesterday.

A security force official said the operation was almost over as there was no firing from inside the hotel after both the holed up militants were killed by the security forces.

He said for security reasons, security forces were conducting searches in the area. It was almost certain that there were only two militants inside the hotel, he said.

He said CRPF lost one jawan while two personnel of the Special Operation Group (SOG) and one jawan of Jammu and Kashmir Police had lost their lives in the gunbattle. Seventeen others, including four civilians, were injured. Majority injured were discharged from the hospitals, he said.

A UNI correspondent, who was present on the spot, saw a militant coming out from the hotel and running towards the Budshah Chowk.

However, alert sharp shooters killed him before he could escape.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) CRPF who was heading the operation told UNI over phone from the spot that another militant also killed by the security forces.

''Yes, we have eliminated two militants,'' he said.

However, he said, the area would be handed over to civilian authorities after making sure that there was no explosive left in the hotel building.

Security forces had earlier suspended the operation against the holed militants because of darkness in the area to avoid further causalties.

Two police personnel have so far died and six other including four civilians were wounded in the shootout since yesterday.

However, unconfirmed reports said that five security personnel have died and eight others were wounded in the shootout.

Sharp shooters had been deployed in all the nearby buildings around the hotel Standard where militants were holed up, attacking security forces since yesterday.

UNI

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