Srinagar, Aug 28: In a significant development, firing between security personnel and militants, holed up in Hotel Greenway, began again at around 10:20 am. Earlier in the morning it seemed that the encounter was over. Information on the number of militants involved in this encounter is not yet confirmed and further details are awaited.

However, all the 20 civilians have been rescued along with four dead bodies has recovered from the hotel. These are bodies are reported to be those of National Conference leader Javed Shah, a former militant and former MLC, his bodyguard and an unidentified civilian.

The four-storey hotel building caught fire during small hours of the morning when the encounter was continuing but fire fighters extinguished the fire later.

Those injured in the encounter, included BSF DIG Desh Raj who received a gash in the shoulder last night but his condition was described as stable this morning.

Bureau Report