Militants lob 3 grenades across Valley, 4th averted

SRINAGAR: Only 8 days before the Republic Day, militants on Friday carried out three grenade attacks targeting security forces across the Kashmir valley, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital Srinagar, but there were no reports of any casualty, even as possible fourth such attack was foiled when the security forces arrested a militant with a grenade.

In the preceding week to the Republic Day, at least five such attacks have been carried out in Valley.
In the first attack of Friday, militants hurled a grenade at a paramilitary patrol party in the city centre Lal Chowk here, police said.

The grenade was aimed at the CRPF vehicle near the Clock Tower.

“The ultras lobbed a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force bunker at Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Lal Chowk this afternoon around 1355 hours,” a police official said.

However, the CRPF bunker as well as some shops and the windowpanes of a parked private vehicle (JK01AH-0279) were damaged in the attack.

In the second attack, militants attacked a police camp in Gagran area of South Kashmir’s Shopian.
Reports said that militants lobbed a grenade on a camp of J&K Police’s Special Operation Group in Gagran Shopian,

However, in this incident, there was no loss of life or injury reported.

Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group claimed responsibility of these two grenade attacks.

Barely hours later, militants hurled a grenade towards police station Kakpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district which exploded inside compound without any injuries.

Reports said that the grenade fell inside the police station compound and exploded with a bang and created panic in the nearby area. However, there was no damage.

Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the attackers.
Meanwhile, security forces foiled another grenade attack by arresting a militant minutes before the assault in border district of Kupwara in Kashmir valley.

A Police official told that a youth was noticed moving suspiciously in Kupwara on Friday afternoon.
“The troops deployed on the ground immediately informed the higher officials,” he said, adding a special team was constituted and the youth was immediately taken into custody.

He said upon search a grenade was recovered from the youth, identified as Mohammad Salam Beigh, a resident of Lolab in Kupwara.

“During questioning, the youth confessed that he was asked by militants to lob a grenade in Kupwara following which he would be formally join the militants ranks,” he said.

Police has registered a case and initiated investigation,” he said, adding more arrests could happen in the coming days.