Srinagar, Feb 11 (IANS): Two girls were injured on Friday when a knife-wielding thief tried to hold their family hostage in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district.

Reports said the two girls were wounded when the thief, who tried to hold the female members of the family hostage, met resistance from them in the Mominabad locality of Batmaloo in Srinagar city. All the male members of the family had gone for the Friday prayers.

Reports quoting a relative of the family said the incident occurred around 1 p.m.

"We had gone for prayers after which the thief entered the house.

"The thief failed to carry out the theft after facing resistance from the females.

"After this, the thief tried to hold the females of the family hostage. During the scuffle, two girls were injured by the thief who carried a knife," the relative said.

Police promptly arrived on the spot and, assisted by the locals, managed to arrest the thief, police sources said.

"The accused namely Umer Yousuf Wani who trespassed a house and tried to attack two girls in Batmaloo area has been arrested by police in a swift action.

"Crime against women will not be tolerated at all", Srinagar police said in a tweet.