SRINAGAR: Two civilians were killed and 24 others were injured when suspected militants hurled a grenade in crowded market at Tral town of Pulwama district on Friday afternoon with an Independent Candidate claiming that the grenade was aimed at him.
Eyewitnesses said that at around 3: 15 pm, a grenade was hurled in Bus Stand Tral resulting in injuries to 26 persons. Witnesses said the grenade created panic with many of the injured lying in pool of blood.
Immediately after the blast, the people started to carry injured persons and shifted them to Sub-District Hospital Tral for treatment. The police and CRPF also arrived on the spot and cordoned off vast area and stated searches to nab the attackers, witnesses said. The critically injured persons were shifted to Srinagar hospitals for specialized treatment.
The attack created fear in the volatile Tral halting traffic with shopkeepers downing their shutters.
The Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dr Shakeel said that they received 26 persons in SDH Tral. One was brought dead while 25 others were injured in which 6 were critical who were shifted to Srinagar. Later, one of the injured succumbed, he said.
The two dead were identified as Ghulam Hassan Gojri and Muhammad Shafi Gojar.
Meanwhile, the Independent Contesting Candidate from Tral Assembly Segment claimed that he was the target. The grenade was aimed at me. I came from Tral villages including Dewar after campaigning and addressed poll rallies. I was tired and I asked one of my colleagues at Tral town to buy some oranges for me but I stayed inside my car, the Candidate, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, said.
There was huge rush in the market and I was talking to people and shaking hands with them from left side of my vehicle and suddenly a huge explosion occurred, he said. Rashid, who was formerly associated with Agriculture Minsiter Ghulam Hassan Mirs party, DPN, said although he survived but one of his guards was injured.
My security man, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Sub- Inspector, whose name is Kuldeep Singh, sustained minor injuries in his leg, Rashid said.
He blamed his political rivals for the attack and said they are afraid of his popularity among masses. Rashid, in 2008, unsuccessfully contested Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, a top police officer confirmed that the Independent Candidate was in the market at the time of attack.
Prior to Tral attack, a grenade was lobbed towards Shopian police station, sources said. The grenade exploded with a big bang in the compound of police station. However, no one was injured or killed in the blast, they said.
A police official, however, said that it was a teargas shell explosion.
The twin grenade attacks took place on a day when Fidayeen attackers stormed an army base in Uri killing 8 army men and three policemen. Besides, in a separate incident, two militants were killed by forces at Soura in Srinagar city. (GNS)
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