Srinagar: Militants on September 23 night killed one policeman and took three cops hostage at a residence close to a polling booth in Srinagar district hours before the second phase of Assembly elections on September 24, official sources said.

A team of policemen rushed to the residence at uptown Gojibagh on receiving information about the presence of militants there.

As security forces cordoned the house, sub-divisional police officer Mohd Yusuf, station house officer of Rajbagh police station Bagwat Singh and two constables entered it.

Mohd Shafi, a constable, was killed in firing inside the house.

Wireless communication snapped with the remaining three police officials who were taken hostage by the militants in the house.

Ultras called up the Raj Bagh police station and passed on a message that some militants were inside a house at Gogji Bagh, following which sub division police officer (deputy superintendent of police) Mohammed Yusuf along with station house officer Bhagwat Singh and two constables rushed to the spot, official sources said.

The officials knocked at the door of the house and asked a person who emerged from inside whether some militants were present inside, they said.

After receiving a negative reply, the police party searched the house and found one room locked from inside. As the door was being broke open, militants started firing from inside the room at the search party killing a constable identified as Jagdev Singh.

Immediately, wireless connection between the police party and control room was snapped, the sources said.

Senior police officials led by inspector general of police (Kashmir range) K Randendra Kumar have rushed to the site and were supervising the operations.

PTI