Srinagar: At least a dozen people have been injured after terrorists threw a grenade at a Sunday market in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar. Those injured in the explosion have been rushed to hospital. More details are awaited.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the grenade attack as "deeply disturbing" and said there can be no justification for targeting civilians. "The last few days have been dominated by headlines of attacks and encounters in parts of the valley. Today's news of a grenade attack on innocent shoppers at the ‘Sunday market' in Srinagar is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for targeting innocent civilians. The security apparatus must do everything possible to end this spurt of attacks at the earliest so that people can go about their lives without any fear," Mr Abdullah said in a post on X.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, directed the top police officer and other security officials to give a forceful response to the terrorists.
The Lt Governor spoke to DGP Nalin Prabhat and senior officials of the security agencies on the grenade attack in Srinagar. He directed the security officials for an effective and forceful response to punish the terrorists and their associates. You have full freedom to crush terror outfits and leave no stone unturned to complete this mission," Mr Sinha said.
In the Union Territory, security and law and order are under the central government and the Lieutenant Governor - not the elected government.
The past few days have seen a series of gunfights between terrorists and security personnel. Yesterday, a Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist was gunned down in Srinagar's Khanyar area.
Vidhi Kumar Birdi, Inspector General of Police for Kashmir, said the terrorist, Usman, was a Lashkar-e-Toiba commander. "Now this operation has been completed. Security forces have killed a terrorist, who has been identified as Usman..., he was the commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and 4 security personnel have been injured. He is a foreign terrorist," he told news agency ANI.
Earlier yesterday, security forces gunned down two terrorists in an encounter in Anantnag district.