Srinagar, March 16: Two Indian policemen and three civilians were hurt Tuesday when suspected militants attacked a police patrol at a market in the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, police said.
“There has been shooting by militants that has left two CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel and three civilians injured,” a police officer said, adding the condition of one of the injured civilians was “critical”.
The daylight shooting took place in Lal Chowk, the main commercial hub in the city of Srinagar. It sparked panic as people ran for cover and troops moved in to search for the militants.
It was the fourth assault within two weeks on police in Srinagar, the main hub of Muslim militants fighting Indian rule in the Himalayan region.
Three policemen were killed in the previous three attacks.
Indian Kashmir has witnessed a recent spike in violence after several months of relative calm.
In January, two gunmen threw grenades and opened fire in Lal Chowk before holing up in a guesthouse, where they held off commandos for nearly 24 hours before being shot dead. Further violent incidents have taken place since.
An insurgency against Indian rule in the Muslim-majority region erupted in 1989 and has claimed more than 47,000 lives, according to an official count.
—Agencies