Civilian killed, many injured in Srinagar grenade attack

One civilian was killed and over a dozen others injured on Monday when militants hurled a grenade at the busy Amira Kadal near city centre Lal Chowk here in Kashmir Valley, police sources said.

Militants hurled the grenade at the market area a week after 15 civilians were injured in a similar terror attack in Sopore town of north Kashmir. The attack came on a day when normal life had started to get back to normal after a hiatus of nearly three months following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 6.

“The injured, most of them civilians, have been shifted to hospital for treatment as the area has been cordoned off for searches,” police said. Footage on television showed a large security presence as the place was being sanitised.

Monday’s militants attack came when markets were open and traffic was moving normally in the civil lines area of the Srinagar city.

After nearly three months public transport was also visible in the Civil Lines and the Srinagar city outskirts.

Public transport in these areas had remained suspended for nearly 90 days.

The Trinamool Youth Congress on Monday brought out a candlelight march in Kolkata protesting the recent killings of five workers from Bengal in Jammu and Kashmir.

Led by state minister Shashi Panja and Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, the marchers traversed a 2 km distance from Birla Planetarium to Gandhi statue at the Maidan.

They walked behind a huge banner that demanded an “independent inquiry” into the death of the five workers from Murshidabad district, who were lined up and fatally shot by terrorists in Katrasoo village in Kulgam district on October 29.

Meanwhile, speaking to newspersons on a separate occasion, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the killings of the workers from Bengal.

“Why shouldn’t Amit Shah resign? They repealed Article 370 of the Constitution. What good has it done,” Hakim asked.

An association for Kashmiri Pandit migrants on Monday urged the central government not to carry out delimitation of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir without taking their views into consideration, as it would be akin to denying them the right to their motherland and life.

Satish Mahaldar of the Reconciliation, Return & Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants, has demanded that the lands of Kashmiri Pandits be protected.

They have demanded a ban on selling, mortgaging, gifting of land and that power of attorney be made invalid.

They have also demanded reservation for local students in Jammu and Kashmir in all educational institutions like schools, colleges and universities and reservations in jobs.

“Kashmiri Pandits are the sole inheritors of the over 5,000-year history in Kashmir. Whatever their number, be it seven lakh, five lakh or one lakh, delimitation without their rehabilitation amounts to denial of justice to them,” they said.

“For us in Kashmir and Jammu, land is like our mother. We have a relationship with her. Many of our significant sites, temples, mosques, gurdwara, dargah, heritage sites, landscapes, customs, music and stories focus on connection to our land. Land is therefore very important to our culture, history and future. Our land has to be protected,” the statement said.

They said before abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the central government had promised to open IITs and IIMs and medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir for the local youth. As Jammu and Kashmir opens up, the right of the local youth needs to be ensured.

“We urge and appeal to all the people of Jammu & Kashmir, irrespective of religion, caste and community to come forward and join together to seek justice and our rights.” “Our demand is simple — ensure our land, culture, education and employment.”

Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Monday assured a delegation of Jammu and Kashmir that nobody’s land would be taken away and government will use its own land for the establishment of hospitals, educational institutions and industries.

Indo-Asian News Service