Pampore encounter: Gunbattle enters second day, militants still holed up in EDI building

Srinagar: Security forces on Tuesday morning resumed operation against militants holed up inside a government building near Pampore town of Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

According to reports, two security personnel and a policeman were injured as the militants fired from inside the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Institute (JKEDI) in the fighting that began on Monday.

"Operation against the holed up militants has been resumed. Floodlights were used during the night to ensure that the militants were prevented from escaping under the cover of darkness," a senior police official said.

Rockets and heavy automatic gunfire were used this morning to engage the militants.

Two to three militants stormed into the EDI complex in the wee hours yesterday and took positions inside one of the buildings, a police official said.

The official said the ultras could have entered the complex from the riverside but that can only be ascertained once the operation is over.

After getting inside the complex, the militants set on fire a few mattresses inside a hostel room to attract the attention of the police and other security forces, who arrived within minutes of the smoke emanating from the building, the official said.

The 70-room, seven-storey building is located at Pampore on the banks of the river Jhelum and 12 km from the Srinagar city centre.

The joint operation was launched by the Army, the Special Operations Group of the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The main building of the institute was attacked in February when militants captured it and launched a major attack on security forces.

Six persons - a civilian, three soldiers and two paramilitary troopers -- were killed then before three militants were shot dead.

(With Agency inputs)