Police officer, militant killed in Srinagar gunfight

Srinagar, Nov 17 (IANS) A middle rung police officer and a militant were killed on Friday in a gunfight in summer capital Srinagar, police said.

Militants attacked a police checking party at Zakura on the outskirts of Srinagar city in the evening.

"Sub-Inspector of Police Imran Tak was critically injured in this encounter. He later succumbed to injuries," the police said.

"A militant identified as Mugees Ahmed Mir of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind was also killed in this encounter, while another policeman, injured in the encounter, is being treated in hospital and doctors have said he is out of danger.

"One militant was also arrested during this encounter," they said.

Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muneer Khan said: "The militant was killed in the Zakura shootout."

The slain militant belonged to Parimpora area in city outskirts and his body had been taken to his home, he said.

The Srinagar District Magistrate has announced restrictions in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of seven police stations in the city on Saturday following the militant's killing.

All schools and colleges will remain closed on the day, as per the orders of the District Magistrate.

Ansar Ghazwatul Hind is a newly-created Al Qaida cell in Jammu and Kashmir.

The formation of the outfit was announced in July this year through the Global Islamic Media Front, an Al Qaida-affiliated information network.

A local militant Zakir Musa was made the chief of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

The police earlier said that militants attacked a police checkpost in Zakura area, triggering an exchange of gunfire.

The checkpost had been set up after specific inputs about the movement of militants in the area, they said.

The place where the incident took place is 11 km from Srinagar's city centre Lal Chowk.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)