Kashmir hostages 'freed'

There has been an upsurge in violence in the past two months

Troops in Indian-administered Kashmir have rescued all 12 people taken hostage by militants on Monday, police say.

Two militants later died when security forces blew up the house in which they were holed up, bringing the siege to an end.

Elsewhere, a third grenade attack in the state in two days left 14 civilians wounded.

There has been an upsurge in separatist violence in Kashmir over the past two months after faltering peace moves between India and Pakistan, who have long been at loggerheads over the disputed territory.

Hostage drama

The hostages had been held since early on Monday in a house in a village south of the summer capital, Srinagar.

They emerged on Tuesday after security forces fired tear gas shells into the building, which troops had surrounded, the authorities say.

Four village elders sent to negotiate with the militants had been taken hostage along with eight members of the family that owned the house.

State police chief Gopal Sharma said it was the first time that militants had used civilians as human shields

Missed targets

Tuesday's grenade attack occurred in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district, south of Srinagar.

Militants threw the device at a paramilitary police patrol near a busy bus stop but missed their target, the authorities say.

Two of those hurt are reported to be seriously injured.

No group has said it carried out the attack.

On Monday, two people died and 55 were injured in two similar incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

Both attacks - one in Srinagar, the other in the southern town of Anantnag - were aimed at Indian security forces but hit civilians instead, police said.