Eight injured in Srinagar grenade attack
SRINAGAR: At least eight people including a woman were wounded in a grenade attack in a marketplace in Srinagar on Saturday, the police said. This was the third such incident in the Kashmir Valley since the state’s special status was withdrawn and restrictions were imposed in the region on August 5.
Officials said suspected militants lobbed a grenade at Hari Singh High Street, and it exploded on the roadside. The place is just a few hundred meters away from the civil secretariat and state assembly.
“Seven persons have been injured which includes a woman,” said Vidhi Kumar Birdhi, deputy inspector general of police (DIG), central Kashmir, after the incident. He later revised the figure of those injured to eight.
He said the woman suffered a splinter injury in her head. “She has been sent for a CT scan to know how grave the injury is,” he said.
The officer said the attack was the work of militants. “Who else will do it other than militants? There is normal movement of the people in the area. The security forces also remain deployed there,” he said.
The attack created chaos in the area as people ran for cover. Window panes of a vehicle parked on the roadside near the site was damaged.
Security forces immediately cordoned the area to look for the attackers, and later allowed private transport to resume in a regulated manner. “We have been working on some leads to identify the attackers,” Birdhi said.
On October 5, at-least 14 persons including two women and a traffic policeman were wounded in a grenade attack in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Government spokesman Rohit Kansal said some killings and injuries have been inflicted by terrorists including on a baby to “prevent” traders, businessmen and transporters from doing their normal business.
“The government urges businesses men, industrialists, traders, transporters, shopkeepers, hoteliers and contractors not to be frightened by any threats by terrorists, separatists and go about their normal activities. The government is firm in its resolve that the attempts of these disruptive elements will be foiled,” he said.
Government spokesman Rohit Kansal said some killings and injuries have been inflicted by terrorists to “prevent” traders, businessmen and transporters from doing their normal business.