M A I N   N E W S

Grenade attack at Mehbooba’s rally
Three killed, cameraman among 7 injured
Tribune News Service & PTI

Srinagar, April 25
In escalating attacks in the midst of Lok Sabha elections, militants today hurled a grenade at a PDP election rally minutes after party chief Mehbooba Mufti left the venue, killing three persons and injuring seven in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The attack took place in Khool-Noorabad shortly after Ms Mehbooba Mufti left the venue and the crowd was dispersing, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr K. Ranjendra, told PTI.

Ten persons, including NDTV cameraman S. Tariq, were injured in the blast, he said, adding three of them later succumbed to their injuries.

Ms Mufti, daughter of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is contesting from the Anantnag parliamentary constituency. She represents Pahalgam constituency of Anantnag district.

In another incident in Anantnag constituency, PDP MLA Zahoor Ahmad Mir from the Pampore constituency of Pulwama district escaped unhurt when militants fired upon his vehicle near his village Konibal, near Pampore, earlier today. The Pampore Assembly segment is part of Pulwama district comprising the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency.

Three CRPF personnel and two policemen were injured when militants hurled two grenades towards a polling booth near Lal Bazar police station here around 1 p.m. today, ahead of the polling tomorrow.

Today’s attempt on the life of Ms Mehbooba Mufti is the second one in Anantnag district during the past one month and third during the ongoing campaign for parliamentary elections. She survived an attempt on her life when militants hurled a grenade at a PDP rally at Uri in Baramula district of north Kashmir on April 8. Thirteen persons were killed and over 50 others injured in the incident. Her motorcade was fired upon by militants near Aishmuqam in Pahalgam constituency on March 29 last. Two police personnel were injured in the incident. She witnessed a similar incident when militants made a suicide attack outside the highly guarded residence of the Chief Minister on October 17 last year.

Tight security arrangements are being made to ensure smooth conduct of poll in Srinagar and Anantnag constituencies that go to the polls in the second and third phases tomorrow and on May 5, tomorrow and on May 5, respectively.

There was less traffic on the roads as people preferred to remain indoors today. The separatist militant and political organisations have been asking people to stay away from polling. Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmad Shah, who have been leading election boycott campaigns in the valley, have been kept under house arrest.

Meanwhile, according to a PTI report, militants fired several rifle grenades at security forces installations, including one on Lal Bazar police station in downtown city, injuring 13 security personnel.

Thirteen security force personnel, including crime branch Inspector Shaukat Hussain, were injured in the attack on the police station sources said.

Four injured — Constables Raj Bahadur, Neeraj Kumar, Devender Singh and S.K. Sharma — have been admitted for treatment, the sources said.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Jammu: Army troops destroyed three major hideouts of militants and seized a large quantity of explosives and ammunition, including 25 kg of explosives in Doda, Poonch and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir since last night, official sources said here today.

The troops conducted a search operation in Nachlana forest belt of Banihal tehsil in Doda district last night, they said.

During the operation, a hideout was destroyed after seizing an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing 15 kg, 1,500 kg of assorted ration, two syntax tanks, 13 grenades, 32 detonators, kerosene oil, two radio sets, one pistol and 310 rounds of AK rifle, they said.

One hundred pika rounds and two rocket-propelled grenades were seized from another hideout in Gulabgarh area of Mahore in Reasi area of Udhampur district early today by troops, they said.

The third hideout of the militants was destroyed at Dara Sangla in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district by troops of Rashtriya Rifles, who seized 109 pika rounds, 15 detonators, one wireless set, one receiver, five jackets and some ration items.

Woman, daughter beheaded

Srinagar, April 25
Militants beheaded the wife and daughter of a Special Police Officer (SPO) in Baramula district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here today.

The militants barged into the house of SPO Ghulam Hassan Qureshi late last night in Bazipora village and beheaded his 30-year-old wife Shaha and eight-year-old daughter Misra, they said. The SPO was not present at home as he was on duty at Bandipora. — PTI