A policeman was killed and three persons were injured as security forces busted a militant hideout at Batamaloo here on Sunday morning. Though the three militants holed up in the house escaped, police sources said the operation had warded off a potential plan to strike on Independence Day.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Srinagar, Vidhi Kumar Birdi said Pervaiz Ahmad of the Special Operation Group died of injuries sustained in the encounter. Three more jawans and the house owner, Neyaz Ahmad Bhat, were injured.
Congested area
Police sources said three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, one of them “high profile”, were trapped in the house in the congested area. “Two of their accomplices were arrested and incriminating documents recovered from the busted hideout,” the police said.
The police zeroed in on the militants on Saturday night and a contact was established around 3.30 a.m. A blood trail was spotted on the encounter site. “There are reports that one militant has been injured. A search is on to nab him,” Mr. Birdi said.The house was close to the main venue of the official Independence Day function and sensitive government installations such as the Civil Secretariat, the High Court and the police headquarters.
In another incident, one civilian was killed and two others injured when an explosive device went off at Tosamaidan in Budgam on Sunday.
