India: 3 policemen killed in Kashmir militant attack

Three Indian policemen have been killed in a militant attack on a security checkpoint in the Indian-administered Kashmir, New Delhi says.

 Kashmir Police Chief Vijay Kumar said that militants attacked the security checkpoint north of the main city of Srinagar and killed one local policeman and two officers from the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force on Monday.

“We are developing leads and will neutralize the militants involved in the two attacks soon,” he said, referring to another attack that also killed two policemen on Friday.

He said that security forces averted a major attack on Monday morning when they recovered an improvised explosive device planted under a bridge in Pulwama district located south of Srinagar.

Kashmir, claimed by both India and Pakistan, was the scene of renewed clashes this month as it marked one year since New Delhi abolished the region’s semi-autonomous status.

Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government announced it was removing Kashmir’s special status. India also announced the division of the state into two territories to be directly ruled from New Delhi.

Following the announcement of the removal of Kashmir’s special status, Indian authorities imposed movement restrictions, made arrests, and blocked communication to thwart protests.

Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947. The countries have fought three wars over the territory.