5 killed, 7 injured in India gun battle

SRINAGAR, India, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- At least five people were killed Wednesday in a pitched battle between Indian forces and suspected Islamic militants in a hotel in Kashmir's main city.

Seven people were injured in the tense standoff marked by automatic gunfire, grenade blasts and a dramatic storming of the hotel in central Srinagar by Indian security forces, The Times of India reported.

The attack sparked panic among local shopkeepers, who ran for cover, leaving their shops unlocked and unattended. Some people working in nearby offices, were also trapped inside their buildings, and had to be rescued by security forces.

Gunmen in the hotel claimed to be tied to the Islamist Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a disputed territory claimed by both India and Pakistan and controlled by Pakistan, the report said.

The standoff was sparked when the gunmen opened fire from the building on a nearby paramilitary base, police said.