LeT Militants Killed After Being 'Trapped' at DPS School, Srinagar

SRINAGAR: Two suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, who reportedly killed a CRPF officer and injured a trooper yesterday, were killed in an encounter in a prominent school in Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of the capital Srinagar.

High speed mobile internet was suspended as loud explosions and intermittent exchange of fire started at the school situated on Srinagar-Jammu highway today morning where the suspects attacked a CRPF yesterday.

"A CRPF sub-inspector Sahib Shukla was killed in the attack while a constable, Nissar Ahmad, was injured. His condition is stable," IG, CRPF, Ravinder Singh Saha said. The LeT had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Soon after the attack, a large contingent of the Army, police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area which is close to the Army's 15 Corps headquarters, the largest formation in the Valley.

"The militants entered into one of the buildings of Delhi Public School (DPS). The multi-building complex was surrounded from all sides and restrictions were imposed to prevent law and order problems," a senior police officer said.

The officer said forces fired 'probing shots' last night but no contact was established with the militants, "At the crack of dawn, contact was established with the militants," the officer said.

SP Vaid, Director General of J&K Police, said the bodies of two militants are lying inside a room in the DPS complex, a sprawling campus of over 400 rooms in four vast buildings. Two Army personnel have been injured in the gunbattle, PTI reported.

Sources said drone cameras and other hi-tech gadgets were used to trace the location of the militants while special forces, including from the Army, were kept on stand-by to deal with the unfolding situation.

The identity of the militants has not been ascertained so far.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, said the government imposed Section 144 in the area where encounter is going on, "We don't want the locals to face any inconvenience due to law and order problems," he said.

This was the second such attack on armed forces in the highly protected area on the national highway. Earlier, a CRPF jawan was killed while six others were injured when militants attacked a vehicle carrying security forces in Pantha Chowk on April 3.

Soon after the attack, a large contingent of the Army, police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area which is close to the Army's 15 Corps headquarters, the largest formation in the Valley.

"The militants have taken refuge in one of the buildings of Delhi Public School. The multi-building school complex has been surrounded from all sides and restrictions have been imposed to prevent law and order problems," a senior police officer said.

The officer said forces fired 'probing shots' last night but no contact was established with the militants, "At the crack of dawn, contact was established with the militants. The operation is likely to drag on," the officer said.

SP Vaid, Director General of J&K Police told reporters that at least two militants are holed up inside the DPS complex, a sprawling campus of over 400 rooms in multiple buildings. Two Army personnel have been injured in the gunbattle, PTI reported.

Sources said drone cameras and other hi-tech gadgets were used to trace the location of the militants while special forces, including from the Army, have been kept on stand-by to deal with the unfolding situation.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, said the government has imposed Section 144 in the area where encounter is going on, "We don't want the locals to face any inconvenience due to law and order problems," he said.

This is the second such attack on armed forces in the highly protected area on the national highway. On June 3, two soldiers were killed and four injured after terrorists ambushed their convoy which was moving from Jammu to Srinagar at Hillar Shahabad on the Jammu Srinagar national highway.

Earlier, a CRPF jawan was killed while six others were injured when militants attacked a vehicle carrying security forces in Pantha Chowk on April 3.

(Photographs BASIT ZARGAR after CRPF solider was killed by the militants earlier)