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Home  » News » Militants blast bridge; disrupt Srinagar-Jammu highway traffic

Militants blast bridge; disrupt Srinagar-Jammu highway traffic

By Mukhtar Ahmad In Srinagar
September02, 2003 09:36 IST
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Terrorists blew off an important bridge of the strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway at Lawdoora village, in Anantnag district, on Tuesday disrupting traffic.

Police sources in Srinagar said the highway has been closed following the blast. "We are making efforts to restore the traffic as early as possible. We hope to restore the normal traffic later today," a senior police officer told rediff.com

The highway is the only link between the valley and rest of the country and all supplies, troop movement and support for the security forces are ferried through this road.

The attack comes nearly 12 hours after militants had attempted to disrupt traffic on the highway near the Jawahar Tunnel.

This is the first time in 14 years of militancy that ultras have been able to snap the highway.

Two fidayeens also made an abortive bid to storm a heavily guarded camp of the Border Security Force at Nishat in the outskirts of Srinagar, while five villagers were killed at Chamalvas near Banihal in Doda district.

The fidayeens hurled grenades resulting in injuries to three BSF personnel guarding the main gate. The soldiers shot dead one fidayeen after a heavy gunbattle, while the other managed to escape.

In another incident unidentified militants forced their entry into a house and shot dead five Muslim villagers at Chamalvas near Banihal in Doda district.

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Mukhtar Ahmad In Srinagar