SRINAGAR, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Three policemen and a woman were killed and nine other policemen sustained injures Saturday evening in a car bomb blast in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

    The explosion took place outside the central jail area of Rainawari around 17:58 hours (local time).

    Police officials said that suspected militants blew up an explosive laden car parked alongside a road outside the central jail to target a police vehicle carrying the policemen.

    "Three policemen and a civilian woman have been killed in the blast and nine other policemen who were injured have been hospitalized," Inspector General of Police Farooq Khan told reporters at the blast site.

Indian police stand near the body of a victim beside a damaged police bus after a blast outside the Srinagar central jail September 12, 2009. A car bomb killed at least four people and wounded 10 on Saturday, when it hit a police bus in Indian Kashmir's main city, police said

    The blast has shattered window panes in the vicinity and created panic in the locality.

    News gathering agencies in Srinagar said a Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast.

    "The spokesman of JuM called our office soon after the blast and said the blast was triggered by their activists," said a reporter at a news gathering agency.

    The Muslim fasting month -- Ramadhan has witnessed a surge in gunfights and grenade attacks in the region.

Indian police stand near the body of a victim beside a damaged police bus after a blast outside the Srinagar central jail September 12, 2009. A car bomb killed at least four people and wounded 10 on Saturday, when it hit a police bus in Indian Kashmir's main city, police said