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SRINAGAR, India Suspected Muslim militants killed a policeman in an attack Sunday on Indian Kashmir's senior minister, who escaped uninjured, police said.
"It was an attack on Ali Mohammed Sagar. He escaped unhurt but one of his police guards died in the shooting," the officer said on condition of anonymity.
The attack took place Sunday evening in downtown Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, the officer said, adding that the minister was in the area attending an engagement ceremony for his niece.
A policeman and a civilian were also wounded in the attack, police said, adding that the attackers fled taking advantage of the darkness.
"Sagar was just entering his brother's residence when militants opened fire. He crawled to safety," the officer said. The minister was later driven to his high-security Srinagar residence by police officers.
Sagar, who has escaped several previous attacks, is a senior cabinet minister in Indian Kashmir and a senior leader in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's ruling National Conference.
Militants who oppose Indian rule in Kashmir have in the past killed ministers and pro-India politicians.
Kashmir has been hit by a two-decade old insurgency since 1989 that has left more than 47,000 people dead by official count.
Militant violence has dropped sharply in Kashmir since India and Pakistan, which each hold the region in part but claim it in full, started a peace process in 2004.
Meanwhile, police fired teargas and used batons to disperse hundreds of young men Sunday who tried to set fire to a Srinagar cinema vacated by Indian troops last week, police and witnesses said.
"The protesters set fire to an abandoned bunker near the cinema hall," a police officer said, but "timely action by our men prevented further arson."
The attack by protesters came as senior pro-India politician and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah this week called for the reopening of cinemas and liquor shops in the Muslim-majority region.
Militants forced closure of cinemas, liquor shops and beauty parlours in the early years of insurgency. A few of the cinemas were occupied by troops battling the insurgency in the early 1990s.
Separatist politicians have vowed to resist any moves by the government to reopen cinemas and liquor shops in the Kashmir valley, where separatist sentiments run deep.
Last year more than 110 people were killed, mostly in firing by security forces, during some of the biggest anti-India demonstrations.
AFP: Policeman killed in attack on Indian Kashmir minister
"It was an attack on Ali Mohammed Sagar. He escaped unhurt but one of his police guards died in the shooting," the officer said on condition of anonymity.
The attack took place Sunday evening in downtown Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, the officer said, adding that the minister was in the area attending an engagement ceremony for his niece.
A policeman and a civilian were also wounded in the attack, police said, adding that the attackers fled taking advantage of the darkness.
"Sagar was just entering his brother's residence when militants opened fire. He crawled to safety," the officer said. The minister was later driven to his high-security Srinagar residence by police officers.
Sagar, who has escaped several previous attacks, is a senior cabinet minister in Indian Kashmir and a senior leader in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's ruling National Conference.
Militants who oppose Indian rule in Kashmir have in the past killed ministers and pro-India politicians.
Kashmir has been hit by a two-decade old insurgency since 1989 that has left more than 47,000 people dead by official count.
Militant violence has dropped sharply in Kashmir since India and Pakistan, which each hold the region in part but claim it in full, started a peace process in 2004.
Meanwhile, police fired teargas and used batons to disperse hundreds of young men Sunday who tried to set fire to a Srinagar cinema vacated by Indian troops last week, police and witnesses said.
"The protesters set fire to an abandoned bunker near the cinema hall," a police officer said, but "timely action by our men prevented further arson."
The attack by protesters came as senior pro-India politician and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah this week called for the reopening of cinemas and liquor shops in the Muslim-majority region.
Militants forced closure of cinemas, liquor shops and beauty parlours in the early years of insurgency. A few of the cinemas were occupied by troops battling the insurgency in the early 1990s.
Separatist politicians have vowed to resist any moves by the government to reopen cinemas and liquor shops in the Kashmir valley, where separatist sentiments run deep.
Last year more than 110 people were killed, mostly in firing by security forces, during some of the biggest anti-India demonstrations.
AFP: Policeman killed in attack on Indian Kashmir minister
