Grenade attack in Kashmir, 2 killed
Militants’ target was PWD minister Akhter Andrabi’s convoy, over 30 injured
Two civilians, including a woman, were killed and 30 others, including seven CRPF jawans and two local policemen, were injured in a grenade attack in Tral town of Jammu and Kashmir’s southern Pulwama district on Thursday. Unofficial reports put the death toll at three and the number of those injured at 39.
The police officials said apparently that the militants’ target was Public Works Department (PWD) minister Syed Naeem Akhter Andrabi’s cavalcade. But he escaped unhurt in the attack. Later, home minister Rajnath Singh and J&K governor N.N. Vohra telephoned Andrabi to inquire about his well-being.
Mr Andradi told reporters, “It is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar. The attacker is neither a friend of Tral nor Kashmir. He is not a friend of Islam also.” He broke down while mentioning about civilian casualties and, in choked voice, asked “Why was this day chosen to repeat Karbala”? Thursday was the first day of Muharram, the first
It is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar. The attacker is neither a friend of Tral nor Kashmir. He is not a friend of Islam also — Syed Naeem Akhter Andrabi, J&K minister
month of Islamic calendar and Karbala in central Iraq is where Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussein was along with 72 family members and companions martyred in a battle in 680 AD. He also said, “This gory incident will always pain and haunt me.”
A statement issued by the police here said the militants hurled a grenade at the Tral bus stand, resulting in on-the-spot death of two “innocent civilians” Pinky Kour and Ghulam Nabi Trag, both local residents, and injuries to 30 others, including seven CRPF and two J&K police jawans. It added that all the injured were rushed to Tral’s subdistrict hospital where 18 of them, including two CRPF jawans, were later discharged.
The splinters also hit two official vehicles moving with the cavalcade, injuring two engineers and a driver. A report said that one of the critically injured civilians named Muhammad Iqbal Khan succumbed.