SP Sopore escapes bid on life

Srinagar: Superintendent of police, Sopore (in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district) survived a bid on life by suspected militants who attacked his official residence with grenades and opened indiscriminate firing last night, official sources told on Monday.

They said that a group of suspected militants last night attacked the Town Hall at Iqbalabad, housing the Battalion Headquarters of 179-CRPF, BSNL exchange besides office-cum-residence of Superintendent of Police (SP), Sopore Altaf Ahmad Khan.

The militants lobbed half-a-dozen grenades on the building followed by heavy gunfire. The personnel of CRPF 179 Battalion returned the fire, triggering off a fierce gun battle, they said. “The exchange of fire continued for over ten minutes as the militants managed to flee under the cover of darkness.” While there was no casualty, several window panes of the SP’s residence were damaged in the attack, they said.

This morning, CRPF men recovered a live grenade on the roadside. Later bomb disposal squad of the police reached the spot and defused the device sans any damage to live or property.

A police spokesman said that the militants fired grenades from RPG-(Rocket projectile gun) towards the town hall.

Police, the spokesman said, has registered a case and started a massive hunt to nab the attackers.