Monday, November 14 2005 18:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Militants today (Nov 14, 2005) struck in the Lal Chowk nerve centre of the city here killing two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men and two civilians while wounding 13 others including a foreign journalist, official sources said.

The ultras hurled a grenade at the CRPF company headquarters in Palladium chowk and then fired at the security forces posted there and at the clock tower nearby triggering a gunbattle at around 1515 hrs, they said.

While four persons were killed so far in the attack, 11 civilians including a Japanese scribe, Takeshi, and two CRPF jawans were injured, the sources said.

Within no time of the attack, the entire Lal Chowk turned into a ghost area with people as also shopkeepers running for cover in panic.

All the business establishments and shops downed their shutters and the traffic also came to a standstill.

Security forces have cordoned off the area, the sources said adding so far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.