Islamic militants launch attack on Hindu temple

Shooting broke out between security forces and suspected Islamic militants today near a Hindu temple attacked the night before in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

It ended about two hours later, with one militant killed in the narrow alleys, police said. They were unsure whether a second militant was involved or whether he was killed.

Earlier, security forces said the temple to the Hindu god Siva had been secured after gunmen attacked it and a larger temple nearby yesterday, with grenades and automatic weapons.

But new shooting was heard across the city early today. Officers in the police control room said militants who had escaped last night’s battle were hiding behind the Siva temple and engaging security forces in the winter capital of Jammu-Kashmir state.

Details were sketchy as police had imposed a curfew to try to prevent Hindu-Muslim violence following the weekend attacks. Police prevented journalists from reaching the site.

Security forces had fired rocket launchers into the two temples in a 10-hour operation to kill the militants. Police said today that two militants, 10 civilians and one policeman were killed.

At least 50 people, mostly Hindu devotees, were injured, said Ashok Suri, the police chief of Jammu-Kashmir state.

It was the third major militant attack in India’s portion of divided Kashmir since Friday.

More than 61,000 people have been killed since the Islamic uprising began in December 1989.

India accuses Pakistan of sponsoring the separatist rebellion in India’s only Muslim-majority state. Islamabad says it supports the rebels’ cause but gives them no material aid.

Jammu-Kashmir is divided between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, who have twice gone to war over the Himalayan region and frequently trade fire along the frontier.