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| Indian paramilitary soldiers run for cover
as fire engulfs the Tourist Reception Center after it was attacked by
militants in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, April 6,
2005. |
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| Indian security force personnel helped the
people staying in the Tourist Reception Center to escape.
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| A Indian paramilitary soldier was on watch
outside the Tourist Reception
Center. |
NEW DELHI,
April 6 (Xinhuanet)-- Terrorists Wednesday stormed a complex housing passengers
set to take the Kashmir bus service, sparking a huge fire and a fiery gun battle
that left both the attackers dead, Indo-Asian News Service reported.
All the 29 passengers of Thursday's inaugural
Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus link who had been kept in the complex for safety
reasons were immediately taken to an undisclosed destination in a bulletproof
vehicle.
Seven people injured in the audacious terror attack.
Among them were three civilians and four security personnel, including a woman.
The Indian government convened a meeting in New Delhi
to discuss security issues concerning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled
inauguration of the much-hyped Kashmir bus. The Pakistani government quickly
condemned the attack.
The four plush, air-conditioned buses meant to ply on
the route, were being driven to the complex when the attack took place and were
immediately diverted to the traffic police lines.
Indian Security forces gunned down both guerrillas
who zoomed to the area on a motorcycle and barged into the complex, which
included the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation's bus yard and a
tourist reception center housing the bus passengers.
The complex, located in the heart of Srinagar, was
gutted after leaping flames enveloped its wooden roof during the fighting
between guerrillas and security forces.
As the roof went up in flames, hundreds of people who
work in offices at the complex rushed out. Enditem |