2 terrorists killed in Lal Chowk in J-K

Srinagar, Jan 7 (PTI) Security forces Thursday stormed the
hotel in Lal Chowk area of India's northernmost state of Jammu
and Kashmir killing two LeT terrorists including a Pakistani
in the 22-hour operation that has left a policeman and a
civilian dead.
The Pakistani terrorist was identified by the security
agencies through wireless intercepts as Qari while the other
was named as Usman from Sopore.
Hotel Panjab in the busy Lal Chowk area in the heart of
the city caught fire Thursday morning as the security forces
inched closer to the militants who were holed up in the top
floor and were hurling grenades and firing at them.
The operation launched by police and paramilitary Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to neutralise the militants,
suspended at around 11 PM IST Wednesday, was resumed at 0700
hours IST Thursday, officials said.
The security forces stormed the hotel before noon and
conducted room to room searches after people from nearby
buildings were evacuated.
Meanwhile, one of the eight civilians injured in the
incident Wednesday succumbed to his wounds Thursday morning at
the SHMS hospital.
A police constable was killed when militants hurled
grenades at security forces in Lal Chowk area before they
entered the hotel.

"The encounter is over. Two terrorists have been
killed. We are ascertaining if there are any more terrorists
inside the hotel who may be dead," Kuldeep Khooda, DGP, told
reporters.
He said a policeman was killed, a CRPF official was
eight other civilians were injured when the terrorists opened
fire and lobbed grenades when were checked at a police post
in the Lal Chowk area.
One of the civilians succumbed to his injuries
Thursday, he said.
He said concerted efforts were being made by Pakistani
terrorists to hit targets in Jammu and Kashmir. "There is
desperation in infiltration, there is desperation in carrying
out such attacks," he said.
Khoda said when security forces challenged the
terrorists at Lal Chowk, they rushed into the nearby hotel.
He said that probably they had some other target to
attack. But because of the encounter, they rushed into the
hotel and took positions there to open fire on the police.
The police and CRPF cordoned off the area and ensured
that the civilians are safe, he said.
After the civilians were evacuated, the CRPF and
Special Operations Group of J and K police stormed the hotel
building from the top floor, the DGP added. PTI MYR
ANU