Militants again target mobile phone facility in Kashmir

In yet another incident of militants targeting a communication facility in Kashmir, a grenade was today thrown at a mobile transmission tower in a downtown locality of Srinagar, causing panic in the area.

The tower, located in a residential compound, was targetted by the unidentified attackers at Gadoodbagh in Habbakadal area around noon, sources said.

The compound, owned by one Abdul Ahad Haji, houses two mobile towers, the sources said, adding the explosion caused damage to a private car parked there.

A police spokesman said, "We are investigating the matter and analysing the nature of the explosive."

Though first such incident in Srinagar city, the attack comes after a series of strikes on communication facilities by militants in north Kashmir's Sopore and Pattan townships in Baramulla district and Handwara in Kupwara district which have left two persons dead.
The ultras are believed to be upset about "theft" of their communication equipment from mobile transmission towers in Sopore and surrounding areas earlier this month.

The militants had allegedly installed communication equipment atop the towers of private and PSU companies.

A lesser-known militant outfit 'Lashker-e-Islam' has claimed responsibility for the attacks in north Kashmir and asked the mobile operators to wind up services across the Valley.