Kashmir clash leaves 1 police officer dead, 3 injured

A police officer was killed and three other policemen were injured following a clash between Kashmiri rebels and police in Indian administered Kashmir, police said Tuesday. Police said the gunfight took place at Chankhan area of Sopore town, about 52 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir when police along with Indian troops were closing in on a house to take on rebels inside it. However, police said as they zeroed on the suspected house, rebels opened indiscriminate fire leaving four policemen including once officer critically injured. "Both the sides exchanged heavy gunfire," police said. "We rushed (the injured policemen) to an army hospital. An assistant inspector of police died at the hospital. The remaining three policemen are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Srinagar." During its recently concluded report, India had said that the security situation in disputed Kashmir continued to be a challenge and there had been a considerable increase in attacks by the rebels on government troops. At least 22 Indian policemen were killed in different militant attacks across the restive region. The year 2013 saw a 38 percent increase in violence compared to 2012. The violence claimed 204 lives in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir. Of the 204 killed, 48 were civilians, 73 suspected militants, one unidentified and 82 Indian troopers. Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the region, but rule it in part. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. According to human rights organizations, separatist guerillas have waged war against the Indian rule since 1989 which has claimed the lives of more than 70, 000 people.