6 killed as blast rips police bus in IHK

Sunday, September 13, 2009 SRINAGAR: A powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted in a car went off outside the Central Jail in Srinagar on Saturday evening, ripping apart a police bus carrying detenues back from the court leading to the death of five cops and a woman.In the first major explosion carried out by the terrorists this year, the IED bomb was planted in a car parked near the Central Jail, Srinagar. The blast took place as soon as the bus of the Pulwama District Police left the jail and reached near the car, making it clear that the militants had purposefully targeted the bus.As soon as the blast took place, the police bus, which was leaving for Pulwama went into flames and powerful sharpnels instantly killed assistant sub-inspector Sagar Singh and head constable Abdul Hamid. The identity of another police officer, who lost his life at the hospital could not be ascertained, whereas the women, who was killed as she was passing from near the bus was identified as Kathija of Khawaja Yar Bal.Fifteen other policemen were also wounded in the blast the responsibility for which was later claimed by Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen.The blast took place around 6 pm in the evening and sound of the blast shook the entire area. Windowpanes of nearby houses were shattered and people ran helter skelter after hearing the defeaning sound.