Grenade attack in Anantnag, restrictions imposed for Friday congregations lifted

Terrorists carried out a grenade attack on Saturday (October 5) outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Anantnag township of south Kashmir, leaving at least 14 people injured, even as restrictions imposed in the Valley in view of Friday congregations were lifted.

Normal life in Kashmir remained affected following the Centre’s August-5 move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, as markets and other business establishments remained closed, while most of the public transport was off the roads across the Valley, officials said. However, government offices were open and attendance in most offices was was near normal.

A large number of private vehicles and some private taxis, including autorickshaws, could be seen plying in many parts of the city, while some roadside vendors were also visible, they said.

This is the second grenade attack carried out by terrorists in the Valley since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. They targeted a security patrol outside the heavily guarded DC office complex in Anantnag town, 55 km from here, around 11 am, an official said.

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He said the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, causing splinter injuries to 14 persons, including a traffic policeman and a local journalist. All the injured persons had been admitted to a hospital and 13 of them were discharged after treatment. One person is still in hospital, but is said to be out of danger.

The blast sparked panic among people in the town. Authorities have been imposing restrictions on Friday in some parts of the Valley in view of apprehensions of violent protests. The curbs were lifted Saturday morning, the officials said.

The efforts of the state government to open schools have not borne any fruit as parents continued to keep the kids at home due to apprehensions about their safety.
While landline services have been restored across the Valley, mobile telephone services in most parts of Kashmir and all internet services continue to remain suspended since August 5.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Government has granted permission to a delegation of National Conference from Jammu province to meet party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah, who are currently under detention here.

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“The delegation led by provincial president Devender Singh Rana and comprising former party legislators will leave from Jammu on October 06, 2019, in the morning,” a National Conference spokesperson said.

Most of the top-level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including the two former chief ministers have been either detained or placed under house arrest.

The government has detained Farooq Abdullah, sitting Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister.