Civilian killed, 4 wounded in grenade attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A civilian was killed and four others, including three policemen, were wounded Sunday in a grenade attack on police party in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The grenade was hurled in the evening in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"This evening militants threw a grenade towards police party outside police station in Khanyar locality, which wounded five people, including three policemen," a police spokesman told Xinhua.

"Of the wounded, one civilian succumbed to his wounds, while as another civilian and three policemen were immediately removed to hospital for treatment," said the spokesman.

Following the attack, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contingents rushed to the spot to carry out searches aimed at nabbing suspected militants.

The attack created panic in the area.

So far no militant group has claimed responsibility of the attack.

Meanwhile, the Muslim-majority areas of the region Sunday observed a complete strike to protest killing of a civilian outside a military camp in frontier Kupwara district.

The shutdown was called by separatist group.

The civilian was killed on Thursday after government forces fired upon people protesting outside the military camp demanding bodies of two militants.

Three army troopers, including an officer, were killed after the two militants stormed their camp. The militants were also killed inside the camp.

Markets and business establishments remained closed, and public transport was off the roads in wake of the call.

Separatist movement and guerrilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfight between militants and Indian troops takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Source : Xinhua