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Militant attack on police station in Indian-controlled Kashmir kills 6

Xinhua, March 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two paramilitary troopers of India's Central Reserve Police Force ( CRPF), a policeman and a civilian as well as two militants were killed Friday in an attack on a police station in Indian- controlled Kashmir, officials said.

Seven paramilitary troopers, two policemen and another civilian were wounded in the five-hour gunfight.

The attack was carried out at Raj Bagh police station of Kathua district, about 333 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"The gunfight has ended and we have killed two militants that entered the police stationed to carry out attack," Danish Rana, a senior Indian police officer said. "While fighting militants, two CRPF personnel, a policeman laid down their lives. A civilian was also killed in the cross-fire during the stand-off."

According to police, at least two militants dressed in army fatigues stormed the police station by killing a policeman on gate. They exchanged fire with the policemen and CRPF personnel in the building.

Reports said the two fidayeen (suicide attackers) initially hijacked an auto-rickshaw and then drove in a jeep to the police station.

Police officials believe the militants have infiltrated from across the border to carry out the attack.

"Preliminary details reveal the militants most likely infiltrated from the Pakistani side," Rana said.

Last year, militants also launched an attack in frontier Kathua, which is barely 15 km from international border with Pakistan.

This is first major militant assault in the restive region since a coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took office earlier this month.

Sayeed, patron of pro-India Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led the coalition with India's rightwing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in the region.

This is the second major attack since December 2014, when six militants attacked an Indian army garrison in Mohara-Uri and killed eight troopers, including an officer and three policemen.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of sending armed militants to Indian-controlled Kashmir. However, Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.

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. Endi