Srinagar, Jan. 15: Militants tossed a grenade at a police station in Sopore this morning and then opened fire, killing a policeman and a civilian in the third deadly attack in the Valley since last month.

The attack came even as the army’s Northern Command chief, Lt Gen. B.S. Jaswal, warned of more suicide strikes. “Pakistan will not be happy with the improving peace situation in Jammu and Kashmir and will try to sabotage normality in the state,” he said.

North Kashmir police chief Abdul Qayoom Manhas said around 10.30am, the militants lobbed a grenade at the police station in the heart of Sopore, about 54km from Srinagar. “It hit the roof and exploded, leaving one person injured.”

The injured man was identified as Latief Mirchal, a politician who had unsuccessfully contested last year’s Assembly polls.

Manhas said police and CRPF men rushed to the spot and began to cordon off an adjoining locality. “After some 45 minutes, two militants hiding nearby opened fire at our men standing outside the police station. A policeman and a civilian died,” he said.