14 injured in grenade attack in Anantnag

Govt lifts restrictions in Valley

SRINAGAR: Terrorists carried out a grenade attack on Saturday outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Anantnag township of south Kashmir, leaving at least 14 people injured, even as restrictions imposed in the Valley because of Friday congregations were lifted.

The blast sparked panic among people in the town.

In the second grenade attack in the Valley since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, Terrorists targeted a security patrol outside the heavily guarded DC office complex in Anantnag town, 55 km from here, around 11 am, an official said.

He said the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, causing splinter injuries to 14 persons, including a traffic policeman and a local journalist. All the injured were admitted to a hospital and 13 of them were discharged after treatment. One person was still in hospital but he was stated to be out of danger.

Normal life in Kashmir remained affected as markets and other business establishments remained closed while most of the public transport was off the roads across the Valley, officials said.

However, government offices were open and attendance in most offices was near normal, they said.

Authorities have been imposing restrictions on Friday in some parts of the Valley because of apprehensions of violent protests. The curbs were lifted Saturday morning, the officials said.

The efforts of the state government to open schools have not borne any fruit as parents continued to keep the kids at home due to apprehensions about their safety.