Srinagar, July 24
Five members of a family, including four minors, from Bihar were killed and at least 22 others were injured in a grenade blast at the crowded Batamaloo bus stand here today.

The injured in the blast, which took place in the afternoon, included Amarnath pilgrims. The family — four siblings and their mother — was waiting to board a Jammu-bound bus when suspected militants in an apparent attempt to target outsiders or pilgrims lobbed the grenade, which killed three of them on the spot.

The victims, identified as Khushboo (13), Adil (8), Ayub (5), Qayoom (4) and their mother Rubina (30), were currently putting up in Budgam district. No militant organisation has claimed responsibility for this attack. Seven of the injured were from a group of 14 pilgrims, hailing from Madhya Pradesh. Two daily wagers from Nepal were also injured.

Bhawna Yadav, whose parents Kailash Yadav and Shanti Yadav were injured in the blast, said there was a huge explosion and darkness enveloped the place for a few seconds.

“I saw the injured writhing in pain and crying while others ran for cover,” she said. Her parents were part of the group of pilgrims. Rejecting that the pilgrims were the main target, a police spokesperson said the bus stand was not frequented by yatris.

“I can say from the available evidence that labourers outside Jammu and Kashmir were the main target,” an official inspecting the spot said on the condition of anonymity.

Some separatist organisations, like the People's Political Party, have warned outsiders working in Kashmir to leave the valley. Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Gilani managed to scare thousands of them to leave the valley last year.