Militants kill cop in Srinagar

The militant struck at about 10 in the morning, SP City North,Showkat Ahmad Shah,said. They fired at a naka party resulting in the injuries to the Assistant Sub Inspector.

Singh was immediately rushed to the close-by Shri Maharja Hari Singh SMHS Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. A resident of Chatoosa village in north Kashmirs Rafiabad,Singh had joined the state police in 1985 as a constable.

Soon after the attack,the police launched search operations to track the culprits. We have started the manhunt for the militants responsible for the attack, Shah said. We have some leads. We are working on them.

A less known militant outfit,Islamic Front,has claimed responsibility for the attack. A spokesman of the outfit,who identified himself as Sheikh Jamsheed,called a local English daily and said they have carried out the attack.

This is the first militant attack after suspected militants fired at Jammu and Kashmir Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar in December last year.

The attack has also come at a time when the Jamp;K government trying to reduce the footprints of security forces in Srinagar.