SRINAGAR, Aug 11 — The police today confirmed that Lashkar-e-Toiba was responsible for the car bomb explosion at Residency Road here yesterday. The blast killed 12 persons.

Six of the seriously injured in the incident were shifted to Delhi today for treatment. They are Mr Pankaj Darad, SP (east), Mr Altaf Ahmad, SHO, Kothibagh, Irfan Nazir, cameraman of Zee News, constables Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Akbar of the state police and contable K. Sambiya of the CRPF.

Barring Irfan all injured have received burn injuries. With the death of SDPO Kuldeep Sharma late last evening, the toll in the explosion has gone up to 12.

Confirming the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the incident, the IGP, Kashmir Range, Dr Ashok Bhan, said the car of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank was, driven away by ultras in Gowkadal area at gunpoint around 11 a.m. The driver was set free after the explosion at around 12.35 p.m.

Stray incidents of stone-throwing and forcible closure of business establishments in some areas in the valley today marked the day-long bandh called by an alliance of counter-insurgent groups in protest against yesterday’s killings.

In Srinagar, work in some government and semi-government offices, banks and educational institutions was affected by the strike, but it had little impact in towns of Baramula, Kupwara, Badgam, Anantnag and Pulwama, official sources said.

A dozen private vehicles were damaged by protesters who prevented children from going to school, the sources said.

In Baramula a crowd indulged in stone-pelting when people refused to observe the strike. The strike was called by the alliance headed by Javid Hussain Shan,, one of the first counter-insurgents and now a member of the Legislative Council.

The mortal remains of Pradeep Bhatia of The Hindustan Times were flown to Delhi for last rites today. The body was consigned to the flames on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi in the evening in the presence of Home Minister L.K. Advani, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, MPs, and friends and relatives. Wreaths were earlier placed on the body of the photo journalist by several ministers and MPs.

Earlier, his body bedecked with flames was brought to Press Colony at Pratap Park where a number of journalists and prominent citizens laid wreaths. Among those who paid floral tributes were the Director General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, the IG, Kashmir Range, Dr Ashok Bhan, DIG, K. Rajendra, Mr Farooq Nazki and Director of Information, Mr K B Jandial.