Tourist taxi hijacked in Kashmir

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) (Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban Range) Ashkoor Ahmed Wani, said on Wednesday that investigation is on in the hijack case of a tourist taxi.

The officials are said to be probing the case from both the angles of robbery as well as of a militant attack. The security has also been tightened due to the approaching August 15.

Wani said, "Two people went to 'Vicky Tours and Travels' in Pathankot to hire a Swift Dzire car. The car is registered in the same city and was booked for travel to Srinagar. They also said that two of their friends will be joining them at Jammu".

Giving details of the incident, Wani said, "Around six o'clock they started from Pathankot and reached Jammu around 8.30. Then they picked up two Kashmiris from Jammu and headed towards Srinagar. On reaching Ramban, the driver was tied to a tree and the suspects took car with them. They also talked of blasting the car".

"Accordingly, militancy alert has been out. Even otherwise the security is high as 15th August is approaching. But we have not found any trail yet", DIG added.

"It has been found that such incidents have taken place in the area earlier as well. They bring cars from Punjab to sell off in Srinagar. We are looking at the case from the angle of militancy as well as of robbery. However, no concrete evidence has been received yet," he added.

A tourist taxi was hijacked earlier today by suspected militants on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway near Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir.