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| AFSPA announcement fallout: Grenade blasts in Valley | | Militants strike at four places, 3 cops injured | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Oct 25: In less than three days of declaration of revocation of AFSPA in state by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the militant outfits struck in a big way across Kashmir Valley, sending a loud signal about their presence in the sensitive state. The way strikes were carried today have not only jolted the NC led dispensation but more than that vindicated the fears and reservations expressed in certain quarters that militants are agile and active enough to cause violence and destruction.
As the entire state was gearing up for festivities related to Deewali, suspected militants launched four separate attacks on Police and paramilitary forces, causing injuries to three CRPF personnel.
Authoritative sources told Early Times that at 1230 hours today a suspected militant lobbed a hand grenade on a sandbag bunker of CRPF 132 Bn in front of Akhara Building at Badshah Chowk. It exploded well on the target, causing multiple splinter injuries to three personnel.
They were quickly evacuated and later treated at SKIMS, Soura. One of them has reportedly sustained critical injuries.
Within minutes, suspected militants tossed another hand grenade towards a Police Post near General Bus Stand of Batmaloo. It also exploded close to the obvious target. However, nobody was reportedly dead or injured in the strike. Even as a Jamiatul Mujahideen spokesman claimed responsibility of both the grenade attacks on behalf of his organization, both are widely believed to be the handiwork of Hizbul Mujahideen. The militant spokesman threatened "far bigger strikes" in near future.
Most of the people in Kashmir valley appeared to be of the view that either separatist militants or the armed forces through their local counter-insurgent operatives had carried out the grenade attacks to communicate to the Government of India that they were down but not out. Many of the security analysts attributed today's attacks to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's speech at Khrew on Sunday last. Omar had emphasized that the situation had improved in Kashmir in the last 20 years and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would be lifted from certain areas in near future.
On October 23rd and 24th, a Government of India official delegation reviewed the political, developmental and security situation in the Valley. Amid speculations and unconfirmed reports, it was stated that the high level bureaucratic delegation, headed by Cabinet Secretary AK Seth, would recommend revocation of AFSPA from certain central Kashmir and central Jammu areas.
Some of the security analysts insist that today's grenade attacks, which happened after a long spell of peace, were aimed at spoiling the festival mood around Deewali---the festival of lights being celebrated by Hindus on Tuesday and Wednesday. Others, however, believe that these were related to October 27th---the day of Indian Army's first landing in Valley in 1947. Some of the separatist groups have already called for a total shutdown on October 27th.
In South Kashmir, suspected militants fired pistol shots on one Anzar Ahmad Bokad S/o Noor Mohmmad Bokad of Gadol, Kukkernag, near KMD Bus Adda of Anantnag today. He sustained minor injuries and was rushed to hospital. Doctors attending on him described Anzar as "not so critical".
In the afternoon, suspected militants lobbed another hand grenade towards a Police camp at Zainapora, Shopian. It exploded but failed to cause any damage.
Reports said that at all the four militant strike spots, people ran helter skelter and the roads and business established remained deserted for 30 to 50 minutes. However, late in the afternoon, all the four urban and semi-urban localities resumed business and there were hardly any signs of fear or disturbance. |
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