Security stepped up at Kashmir airport

Police detained other alleged separatists on Friday

Security has been stepped up at Srinagar airport in Indian-administered Kashmir after what the authorities say was an infiltation attempt by separtist militants.

Police said on Sunday that soldiers foiled an attempt by separatist militants to breach security at the civilian airport in Srinagar.

Officials said five militants, dressed in police uniforms, were stopped as they drove up to the airport's main gate.

The five told soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force who stopped them that they were collecting a senior police officer.

Police later said the vehicle used by the militants was hijacked from Peerbagh near Srinagar.

'Suicide squad'

The authorities gave details of the incident after a man claiming to be a spokesman for the militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba called the BBC claiming that a suicide squad had attacked the city airport.

Security has been further tightened around the airport after the incident.

In a separate incident, militants belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen group have carried out a landmine explosion at Khag in the central district of Budgam on Sunday.

Four Indian soldiers were injured in the attack. In another incident, unidentified militants threw a grenade at Iqbal Market in the northern town of Sopore on Sunday afternoon.

Police said 26 civilians were injured in the blast.