Srinagar, July 20
A powerful car bomb explosion targeted at a convoy of the security forces took place in the high security area, killing at least four persons, including three Army personnel in the Sonwar area, here this morning. An Army Major was among those killed while at least 15 others, including four Army jawans, were injured as the Maruti car and an Army vehicle were completely damaged in the explosion.
The incident is regarded as a desperate action by militants, which coincided with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s US visit. It follows a series of infiltration attempts of armed militants from across the LoC in north Kashmir ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, and is believed to be an attempt on scuttling the peace process. It was only a day after the GOC of Srinagar based 15 Corps of the Army, Lieut-Gen S.S. Dhillon claiming that there was a considerable reduction in the level of violence, but admitting that the militants had the potential to strike.
A spokesman for the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, who rang up some local media agencies here, has claimed responsibility for the attack. It was, however, not clear whether the explosion was caused by triggering an IED fitted in the car.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir Range, Mr Javed Ahmad Makhdoomi, said here that the explosion was caused by an explosive-laden Maruti car, which had come in the opposite direction of the Army convoy near SK Cricket stadium.
He said the incident took place at about 9-30 a.m., when there was heavy movement of traffic on the main road about one km. from the central Lal Chowk. He said that three Army personnel, including a Major and one civilian were killed, in the incident, while 15 others were injured. The condition of a woman injured in the explosion was critical, the IG, Police said. Those killed included Major Kapil Vinayak, Nayak Ram Krishen and Sepoy S.C. Dubey. The IG, Police, ruled out the possibility of this being a suicide attack as the four bodies recovered from the site had been identified.
Panic gripped the area after the explosion near the Christian Missionary Burn Hall School. At the time of the explosion, the students were inside the classrooms, which prevented any harm to the children. However, window panes of the nearby buildings, one of these housing LIC office, were damaged. Damage was also caused to the glass panes of various buildings in the area, about one km from the Badami Bagh Cantonment, where the 15 Corps Headquarters of the Army is located.
The explosion took place about 50 metres away from the main entrance to the Burn Hall School opposite to the Church Lane where a number of ministerial bungalows are located.
It was also in front of the Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium, which normally remains the venue of VIP
functions.
