A civilian was killed and 23 people, including a policeman, were injured in a grenade explosion detonated by militants in Srinagar on Sunday. The explosion took place around 4:20 p.m. at the busy commercial hub of Amira Kadal, which witnesses a huge rush of shoppers buying from the flea markets set up on Sundays.
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Preliminary reports suggested that the militants threw a grenade when people were busy buying in the market. One civilian, identified as Muhammad Aslam Makdhoomi from Srinagar’s Nowhatta area suffered splinter injuries and died at a nearby hospital. A girl also suffered critical injuries and was being treated at hospital, officials said.
One policeman was among the 23 injured in the explosion. All the injured suffered minor injuries, the officials said. “The police are trying to identify the militants. The module will be busted soon,” said Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar.
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CCTV footage
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Central Kashmir range, Sujit Kumar said the police had got the CCTV footage and some vital clues. “It wasn’t a security lapse as a policeman has also got injured. Steps will be taken to prevent attacks at busy places. We will not allow it to become a trend,” Mr. Kumar said.
The explosion left the Sunday market deserted. The area saw a similar grenade attack in October last year, which left civilians injured.
The police have asked the civilians “to be vigilant and report any suspected activity to thwart the nefarious designs of militants”.
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Meanwhile, political parties have condemned the attack. “Condemn this dastardly attack. People of J&K have been paying with their lives and sadly neither India nor Pakistan is doing anything to end the conflict and stop this bloodshed,” Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said.
‘Deplorable attack’
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah termed it “a deplorable attack”. “I condemn the attack in the strongest possible terms,” he said.
A Peoples Conference spokesman said the party was “shocked at the extremely distressing news of a grenade attack at the crowded marketplace”. We unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly attack in which one civilian died while many are injured. Violence in all its forms and manifestations brings countless miseries to people and only adds to our collective suffering. The perpetrators of this attack must be held accountable and brought to justice,” the spokesman said.