Tuesday, November 15 2005 12:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Security forces engaged with militants holed up in a hotel in the Lal Chowk area here prepared to storm the building after having established contact with the attackers, a senior police official involved in the operations said today (Nov 15, 2005).

The militants, believed to be two in number, are firing at the security forces, H K Lohia, DIG, Srinagar told PTI.

He said the forces were going to storm the building in a bid to neutralise them.

Earlier the forces resumed the operation after a overnight lull and managed to rescue three civilians from the hotel.

DIG CRPF J N Ojha said the operation to flush out militants was suspended last night (Nov 14, 2005) to avoid civilian casualties as many people are believed to have been trapped inside hotels and other buildings nearby.

"Once it is ensured that no civilian is inside, security forces will resume the operation to flush out the militants," he said.

Two CRPF personnel and two civilians were killed and 13 others, including a foreign journalist, were injured when militants hurled a grenade and began firing at the CRPF forces posted in the area yesterday afternoon triggering the gunbattle.