Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar/Rediff.com reports: Three paramilitary, Central Reserve Ppolice Force (CRPF) troopers and two civilians were wounded in a powerful grenade blast in the saffron-rich town of Pampore in south Kashmir's Pulwama district this morning.


A senior police officer said militants hurled a hand grenade at a posse of CRPF who were part of a road opening party in Pampore on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National highway this morning.  "The injured were immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment, while search operations were launched in the area," the officer said.


Meanwhile, the anti-militant operation in the dense forests of Kupwara entered the fifth day today with fresh firing between the combing troops and militants this morning.


A commanding officer, Col Santosh Mahadik of the army was killed while leading his troops in a fierce encounter with a group of heavily armed militants in the Manigah forest area of  Kupwara district Tuesday. He was cremated with full honours at this village in Satara yesterday.


Pic: One of the injured has a mic thrust in his face and the question he is probably being asked is: Aapko kaise lag raha hai.