Suspected militants snatch 5 rifles from police post in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Suspected militants Monday stormed a police post guarding a power transmitter in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir and snatched five service rifles belonging to policemen deployed there, police said.

The militants attacked the police post early Monday at Dalvash village of Dooru in Pulwama district, about 87 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Early today at 12:30 a.m. local time (1900 GMT Sunday) militants attacked a police post at Dalvash village, overpowering policemen and took away their five service rifles," a police official posted in Anantnag said. "The police post in the village is meant to guard the low power transmitter station of public service broadcaster Doordarshan."

Reports said the gunmen were wearing combat uniform. However, the policemen were left unharmed.

Contingents of police and paramilitary troopers rushed to the place to launch a manhunt aimed at recovering the snatched weapons.

In another overnight incident, policemen foiled a similar attempt in neighboring Pulwama district. Officials said militants tried to storm a police post guarding members of minority community, however the police men fired upon the attackers triggering an exchange.

Earlier in the month, a policeman was killed and two others, including a civilian, were wounded after militants tried to snatch rifles from the policemen.

The local government has set up security posts for the protection of minority families and pro-India politicians in Muslim majority areas of the region, following attacks on them.

A surge in weapon snatching incident have been witnessed in the region. However, so far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the incidents.

Militants occasionally target police and paramilitary troopers in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989. Endit