Kashmir mosque siege ends

A boy in Panzan watches the troops prepare for action

The Indian army says it has stormed a mosque in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing a Muslim militant holed up inside.

This is the fifth such incident in as many months in which Indian troops have laid siege to a mosque where militants have barricaded themselves in.

The attack took place in the village of Panzan, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) west of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

Troops of India's Border Security Force entered Panzan on Saturday after receiving reports that militants were present there.

The army made two failed attempts to take over the mosque on Sunday.

The troops had also sent a cleric, a village headman and several other villagers to the mosque to try to persuade the militant to give himself up.

Grenade injuries

The siege ended on Monday morning when four Indian troops went into the mosque, news reports said.

The Agence France Press news agency said three soldiers were injured when the militant threw a grenade at them.

The fourth soldier threw a grenade back, killing the man whose identity is not yet clear.

Strong action

After months of relative calm, October has seen a sharp increase in tension between India and Pakistan over their long running dispute over Kashmir, despite attempts by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to defuse tensions.

India has argued that Pakistan backs separatist militants in Kashmir by arming and sending them across the line of control, a charge Islamabad denies.

India says it will continue to take strong action against militant infiltrators in Indian-administered Kashmir, but it has ruled out crossing the Line of Control with Pakistan at present.