— Photo: Nissar Ahmad

TARGETING INNOCENTS: One of the victims of a grenade attack at Tangmarg in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday being taken to hospital. Three persons were killed and 40 injured in the attack that targeted the former Tourism Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, who was addressing a rally. Mr. Hassan escaped with splinter injuries.

SRINAGAR: Security forces killed a militant holed up in a hotel here on Tuesday, bringing to an end the 24-hour-long standoff which began with the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force on Monday. Another militant moving suspiciously near another hotel was captured. The two were part of a fidayeen (suicide squad) of the Al Mansoorian outfit.

With the killing of the militant, the toll in the attack has gone up to five. Two civilians and two CRPF jawans were killed on Monday. Four more security force personnel were injured in the gun-battle taking the number of those wounded to 17.

Wait and watch

Director General of Police Gopal Sharma announced the end of the operation at a news conference. He said the hotel was searched to ensure no more militants were hiding there. The operation took time, he said, as "we had two objectives — one was to evacuate the civilians safely and then to tackle the militants. We weighed the odds and followed a wait and watch policy." Over 70 civilians were rescued.

Mr. Sharma said it was for the first time in the "history of fidayeen attacks" that a militant had been captured alive. He has been identified as Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, a Pakistani national aged about 18 years. He had crossed over into the Indian territory two weeks back from Rajwar area of Kupwara district and reached Srinagar only a few days ago. He had begun his mission after the quake and said he was part of a two-member group. He was trying to escape after dumping his AK rifle and ammunition.

Bhat, according to the DGP, admitted that he was involved in the attack. His interrogation may throw light on other strikes possibly being planned in Srinagar city. His accomplice, identified as Furqan of Pakistan, gave a tough time to the forces since Monday and was finally eliminated by a crack team of police and the CRPF in the basement of the hotel.

Life in the entire Lal Chowk remained disrupted on Tuesday in view of the siege laid by the security forces. Police did not allow any civilian movement in the area.

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