Thaindian News

Srinagar, Oct 25 (IANS) Four security personnel were injured Tuesday in four attacks by separatist guerrillas in a sudden spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Militants targeted the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Srinagar and south Kashmir’s Anantnag town and Shopian district, police said.

A grenade was hurled at a CRPF camp adjacent to the city centre Lal Chowk, injuring head constable Surinder Singh and constables Manoj Kumar and Manoranjan.

Within a short while, another grenade attack took place on a police picket in Batmaloo area barely one kilometre away.

“The grenade exploded without causing any damage,” an officer added.

Guerrillas carried out a hit-and-run attack in Anantnag town in the evening. A police constable was shot and injured near a taxi stand. He was shifted to Srinagar.

In the fourth incident in Shopian, a grenade was lobbed at a CRPF picket outside the State Bank of India branch in Zanipora area but it did not explode.

The attacks appeared to have been coordinated. But no one claimed responsibility.

Tuesday’s attacks came ahead of the expected announcement by the state government of lifting the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

AFSPA gives sweeping powers to security forces deployed in disturbed areas to curb terrorism.

Official sources said the AFSPA was likely to be lifted from Srinagar and Badgam towns in the Kashmir Valley and from Jammu and Samba towns in the Jammu region.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the removal of AFSPA from some areas would be a small but a significant beginning to restoring lasting peace.

But the defence ministry remains opposed to the idea, arguing that any relaxation in AFSPA would work to the advantage of separatists fighting to end Indian rule over Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan-based separatist leader Syed Salahuddin has also threatened to step up attacks in Jammu and Kashmir if separatists agreed to talk to the Indian government.