Srinagar, Oct 3

Eight policemen were injured in the overnight gunfight Wednesday between a holed up guerrilla and the security forces in outskirts of Srinagar.

A senior police officer said eight policemen including an assistant sub-inspector were injured in the exchange of fire between a guerrilla and the security forces in Ahmad Nagar area, 10 kilometres from city centre Lal Chowk.

"The holed up militant lobbed grenades and fired from an automatic rifle at the police after we zeroed on him in a residential house in Ahmad Nagar and challenged him to surrender," a senior police officer told IANS.

Police had a tough time ensuring that no civilian in the residential area gets injured because of the exchange of gunfire.

All the civilians from the house in which the guerrilla had taken shelter and adjoining houses were safely evacuated before the operation against the guerrilla was launched, the senior police officer said.

Intermittent firing exchanges continued during the night, but since morning no gunshots were heard in the area.

"We are searching the area right now", the officer said.

By:IANS