Grenade blast at Srinagar market, 7 people injured

‘Restrictions lifted in 99% areas’

Srinagar, Oct. 12: Seven people were injured in a grenade attack by suspected militants in a market area in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar on Saturday, police said.

Militants hurled a grenade in Hari Singh High Street market area — a few hundred metres from the city centre Lal Chowk — on Saturday afternoon, a police official said.

The grenade exploded on a roadside in the market, injuring seven people, he said, adding that the wounded were rushed to a hospital here. According to the official, the explosion also damaged windows of a vehicle parked nearby.

He said the shops in the market were shut but a few vendors had set up stalls in the area.

Meanwhile, state government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said on Saturday that restrictions on movement of people have been lifted in “over 99 per cent” areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters here, he asserted that the curbs were necessary to prevent “externally-aided terrorists” from disturbing peace in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of abrogation of the state’s special status under Article 370 in August.

He also said the cases of those who were detained, including political leaders, were being reviewed by the government for their release.

Mr Kansal said there was a gradual lifting of restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir since August 16 and most curbs

■ Continued from Page 1 were lifted by the first week of September.

“Barring eight to ten police stations, movement restrictions have

now been completely removed. Over 99 per cent of the areas of Jammu and Kashmir have absolutely no movement restrictions,” he said. He said tourists are welcome to visit the state and the government would facilitate their visit. Internet facilities are being opened at tourist spots to assist those who would want to access it, he added.

The government spokesperson said the imposition of restrictions ensured that no lives were lost to terrorism. “In the light of important constitutional changes that were made in relation to J-K in August 2019, a number of restrictions were imposed from August 4 in order to prevent externally-aided terrorists from disturbing peace and inflicting casualties on civilians,” Mr Kansal said.

He said it is well established that there have been sustained attempts from across the border, in the past and more so in the last two months, to promote militancy in the state to create a sense of fear among the people.