A CRPF officer and two militants were killed while nine others were injured when militants attacked government forces at Nowhatta area of Kashmir capital Srinagar on Monday morning.Eyewitnesses said that the militants fired at the forces in the area which is close to the historic Jama Masjid, triggering an encounter.Ten security personnel were injured in the militant attack, a police official said, adding, a CRPF commanding officer injured in the attack later succumbed to injuries.Two militants were killed in the exchange of fire between the two sides.Talking to reporters shortly after the culmination of the encounter, Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone, Syed Javaid Mujtaba Geelani said that the motive of these militants was to engage forces for a longer period of time. They wanted to grab media attention, however, forces reacted swiftly and eliminated them. He confirmed that Commanding Officer 49 Battalion Pramod Kumar was killed in the shootout.
“Both the militants seem to be non-locals, but we are trying to ascertain their identity,” he said.A police handout said that on Monday morning militants fired upon police and CRPF deployment at Nowhatta Chowk near Jamia Masjid in the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowhatta Srinagar.“In the firing by the militants nine security force personnel including Commanding Officer of CRPF 49 Bn Shri Promod Kumar and a Police Constable were injured. All the injured were shifted to hospital for treatment where the Commanding officer succumbed to his injuries.”“The militants entered in a building which was immediately cordoned off. An encounter ensued in which two militants were killed. Their identity is being ascertained. Two AK rifles, eight magazines with ammunition has been recovered from the encounter site.” (CNS)