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1 killed, 24 injured in Srinagar grenade attack
The grenade was lobbed in a busy market near the Amira Kadal Bridge in Srinagar. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said the attack was aimed at security forces and police personnel
At least one person died and 24 people were injured in a grenade attack by suspected terrorists in a busy market area of Srinagar on Sunday, police said, adding that a minor girl and a policeman were in critical condition.
The grenade was lobbed in a busy market near the Amira Kadal Bridge, police said.
“In this terror act, one old man from Nowhatta (old city) has succumbed to injuries while one girl is critical. In this attack, 24 other persons including 23 civilians and a cop have received splinter injuries and are out of danger,” said Srinagar police in a tweet.
Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar said police is working hard to identify and arrest those involved in the attack.
Senior superintendent of police, Srinagar, Rakesh Balawal, the man who deceased was a 70-year-old. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries there, Balawal said.
Deputy IGP, central Kashmir, Sujit Kumar said that civilians sustained the most injuries in the attack. He said
“We will be checking CCTV footage, (inputs from nearby) command vehicles and other eye witnesses to trace them(the attackers),” he said.
He said crowded areas were being regularly targeted with these types of attacks but refuted any security lapse.
“Security personnel were deployed here and there was no lapse as our policeman was also injured in the attack We are trying to improve. Certainly this is becoming a trend. We have got vital clues and we will trace them soon,” he said.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said the attack was aimed at security forces and police personnel stationed for duty in the Amira Kadal area of the capital.
The medical superintendent of nearby Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital, Kanwaljeet Singh, said they received 21 persons with injuries to the hospital. “One among the injured is critical. We don’t have the identities of all the injured yet,” he said.
Kishore Prasad, DIG CRPF, said the attack took place at Hari Singh High Street where a party of security forces remains stationed for duty, adding no CRPF jawan was injured in the incident.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said in a tweet: “I condemn this deplorable attack in the strongest possible terms. May the deceased find place in Jannat & may the injured make a complete and speedy recovery.”
People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti termed it a dastardly attack. “People of J&K have been paying with their lives & sadly neither India nor Pakistan are doing anything to end the conflict & stop this bloodshed. My prayers are with the bereaved families & loved ones,” she said.
Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu wrote on Twitter, “Strongly condemn the grenade attack at Hari Singh High Street and my prayers for those injured in this barbaric, senseless terror attack.”
