17 security personnel injured in militant attack in J&K's Pulwama

Srinagar: At least 17 security personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured in a militant attack in Pulwama town on Wednesday, police said.

Militants hurled a grenade towards a police party outside a local cricket stadium where people had gathered for a pro-freedom rally, followed by firing, at security personnel who were on duty near the Degree College in Pulwama town, 32 kms from here, a police official said.

The area was immediately cordoned off and an operation was launched to track down the assailants, he added.

The incident blamed on the separatist militants by the authorities came hours after a youth was killed and 40 civilians were injured in clashes between civilians and security forces.

The injured police officers are Additional Superintendent of Police (Pulwama) Azhar Baba, Deputy Superintendent of Police Shafiq Ahmad and Station House Officer (SHO) Adil Ahmad and Commanding Officer of the CRPF's 183 Battalion Vinay Prakash. Thirteen J&K policemen and CRPF jawans are among other injured. A few civilians also sustained splinter injuries.

SP Pulwama Rais Muhammad Butt said the militants also fired four to five shots towards the party. While the DySP Shafiq Ahmed received a bullet injury in his leg, the condition of SHO Pulwama Ahmed is reported to be serious as he sustained multiple splinter wounds. All the injured were airlifted to Srinagar.