Suspected residential suffers damages

Srinagar: Government forces called off a 14-hour-long operation at Gulab Bagh area on Srinagar outskirts after no contact with the militants was established.

Officials said that joint teams of army, police and CRPF laid a siege at Shah-e-Hamdan Colony in Gulab Bagh at 10 pm on Tuesday. “There were inputs about the militant presence in the area. Lights were installed while the operation was put to halt due to darkness. In the morning, many warning shots were fired. Teargas shells were also lobbed at the suspected house, however, there was no retaliation and no contact with the militants was established,” officials said.

On Tuesday evening, a senior security official had said that one to two militants are believed to be trapped in a residential house. After searching the house, nothing was found, an official said.

Witnesses said that the house that belonged to a person who is working in Saudi Arabia suffered partial damage. “Windowpanes of the house were broken while the front wall witnessed minor damage,” they said.

A security official said that after thorough search of the house, the operation was later called off at around 11 am. KNO

KR Desk