Militants kill Indian military officer in fresh assault in Indian-controlled Kashmir

An Indian military officer was killed Sunday morning in a fresh assault at a government building occupied by militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The stand off is ongoing at a multistory government building of Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore town of Pulwama district, about 24 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Early morning an officer was martyred at EDI building after he tried to enter the building to take on militants there," Indian army spokesman N N Joshi told Xinhua.

An intermittent exchange of fire is going on between the militants, believed to be three in number, inside the building and troops outside it, police officials said.

Meanwhile, a lower rung employee at EDI succumbed to his wounds at hospital Saturday night. Officials said he was hit by a bullet in the crossfire between militants and paramilitary troopers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The death toll in the attack has rose to four including two CRPF troopers and civilian, while as another 12 CRPF personnel were wounded.

"In the initial attack on bus, our 11 personnel were wounded and of them two succumbed, while nine others are undergoing treatment," CRPF spokesman Bhavesh Chaudhury told Xinhua. "Later on while trying to barge inside building three more CRPF personnel were wounded."

Authorities have cordoned off the area to prevent militants from fleeing from the building.

On Saturday authorities had to evacuate more than 100 people, including trainees and employees of the EDI when militants made their entry inside it.

Adjacent to the EDI building is a CRPF camp.

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