Over 100 Civilians Trapped in Srinagar Gunbattle Zone Evacuated
More than 100 people, women and children among them, who were trapped in shops and buildings at Lal Chowk where a gunbattle is on between security forces and militants have been evacuated, said reports.
Police said that joint teams of police and CRPF personnel which are engaged in the rescue operations have evacuated over 100 civilians trapped inside shops and other buildings at Court road Pladium chowk, Koker Bazar and adjoining areas to safer places.
After militants struck Lal Chowk, the heart of Srinagar, at nearly 2,15 pm by blasting grenades and opening indiscriminate fire, most of the shopkeepers along with pedestrians fled to safety leaving their establishments open. Some people took shelter inside opened shops and other buildings.
“Besides neutralising the militants holed up inside a hotel, our priority is to ensure safety of the civilians,” a police officer was quoted as saying by media.
He said that police and CRPF were jointly trying to safely move the civilians present in the hotel where the militants were positioned and firing.
