This was the second time in last eight months that the complex has been targetted.
The Entrepreneur Development Institute or EDI building in Srinagar looks like a ravaged war zone a day after a 58-hour encounter. Two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who had holed up there, were eliminated by the army yesterday.
The area is still not safe. The mopping up operation, which is still on, is a slow process through which soldiers ensure that there are no unexploded ordnance lying around or no explosive traps have been set up by terrorists.
This is in fact, the second time in last eight months that the complex has been targetted. In February, the administrative building of EDI was site of major three-day gun-battle.
It is going to take months, possibly more than a year, for the building to be restored. This spells bad news for thousands of young entrepreneurs who were being trained here.
"This year, our target was 6,000 candidates and we were supposed to provide financial assistance to around 4,000," said Ishfaq Ahmad Mir, in charge publicity at EDI. "But there was an encounter in February, then unrest of over three months and now this attack. It is very unfortunate and damaging, we won't be able compete our target."
Besides training in different fields, the EDI provides soft loans for start-ups. Ajaz Ahmad Kachroo, who was trained here, is a success story.
After completing his MBA, Mr Kachroo came here and received financial support to start his business in hospital supplies. Today, he has a turnover of more than Rs 1 crore a year.
"I was weeping before my TV when I saw building being pounded upon," he said. "When I saw the bombardment and pieces of paper fluttering from the windows, I thought of the young people who have deposited their project reports to start like I did 6 years ago."