Two accused escape as police team attacked in Srinagar

Srinagar, July 12 (IANS) Two people arrested in connection with a landmine blast managed to escape while six members of the police team escorting them were injured after being attacked by a stone pelting mob here Saturday, police said.

The six policemen including the station house officer (SHO) of Gursai police station in Poonch district of Jammu region were attacked when they were taking two people accused in a landmine blast to Poonch district.

Police sources said the team of policemen from Poonch district had come here with an accused from Balakote (Mendhar) town of Poonch who had revealed during interrogation that he had bought the landmine, used to destroy an official building June 25, from a resident of Batmaloo area here.

It said on identification by the arrested accused, the police team arrested the man who had allegedly sold the landmine that was used in destroying the naib tehsildar's office in Balakote.

"When the team was moving in a vehicle in Munawarabad area along with the two arrested accused, they were attacked by a stone pelting mob resulting in injuries to the police team. During the incident, the two accused managed to escape.

"A case has been registered and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the accused. The injured policemen have been shifted to hospital for treatment," a police officer told IANS.