Gunmen loot bank in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Masked gunmen on Tuesday barged inside a bank in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir and looted some cash, police said.

The burglary took place at village Kader in Kulgam district, about 78 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Police suspect gunmen to be militants active in the area.

"Today two masked gunmen barged inside Ellaquai Dehati Bank here and looted currency notes (around INR 65,000) from it," a police official posted in Kulgam told Xinhua. "Our prime suspects are militants."

The incident occurred day after militants attacked a cash carrying vehicle belonging to Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the district and killed five policemen and two security guards of the bank.

The killings triggered panic in the region, especially in the towns and villages south of Srinagar.

Region's indigenous militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility of the deadly attack.

Police issued an alert in the area following Monday's attack and intensified frisking, however gunmen managed to enter the bank to carry out loot.

Reports said there was not enough cash in the bank when the gunmen struck. Endit