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J&K ex-minister escapes bid on life
Three killed, 45 hurt in grenade attack
Tribune News service

Srinagar, November 15
Senior PDP leader and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir escaped a bid on his life when militants hurled a grenade in his public meeting killing three persons and injuring 45 others at Tangmarg, 40 km from here, this afternoon. The minister escaped with minor splinter injuries and was rushed to this place, the police here said.

Those injured included Deputy SP Shabir Ahmad and SHO Muneer Ahmad. The injured have been shifted to hospitals. Of those injured, three persons, identified as Abdul Gaffar Khan and Ghulam Nabi Mir of Tangmarg and Abdul Hameed Bhat of the nearby Pattan area, succumbed to their injuries. Witnesses said the grenade explosion took place towards the conclusion of the meeting.

Former tourism minister Ghulam Hassan Mir received minor splinter injuries and has been brought here for treatment. This was his first public meeting in his home constituency after Congress Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad took over from the Mufti-led coalition government early this month. Mir has not been included in the new Council of Ministers that was sworn in on November 2 last.

Elsewhere a constable was killed by militants, while the security forces had seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition during search operations in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Meanwhile, with the killing of one suicide militant and the arrest of his associate, both belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, the suicide attack in central Lal Chowk area concluded after about 25 hours here this afternoon.

Four security personnel were injured in the operations that were launched afresh this morning after laying siege of the area last evening, taking the number of injured persons to 17.

The attack, which began at 3 p.m. yesterday, claimed four lives. Two CRPF personnel and two civilians were killed while 13 others were injured.

The two Pak militants in early 20s had infiltrated into the valley from Rajwar area of north Kashmir after the recent earthquake, the Director-General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Mr Gopal Sharma, told mediapersons here.