Nine injured in twin blasts in Jammu ahead of Rhaul's arrival for Bharat Jodo Yatra

The condition of one out of nine injured is said to be critical

Nine persons were injured, one of them critically, in twin blasts suspected to be powerful sticky bombs planted on two cars in Narwal area on the outskirts of Jammu city Saturday.

The blasts occurred just two days before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to reach Jammu.

Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh said a blast occurred in an old, parked Bolero (Sports Utility Vehicle) around 11 am resulting in injuries to five people who were standing nearby.

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They were evacuated to a hospital and their condition is stable, he told reporters at the site of the blasts.

However, health officials said nine injured were being treated at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu hospital. Surgery was performed on one of them, who suffered splinter injuries in his stomach and his condition was critical. He is identified as Arjun Kumar, they said.

The blasts were reported in yard number 7 of Transport Nagar in Narwal. Blasts were triggered at a time when security agencies in the region are on high alert in the wake of the ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

The Yatra entered J&K’s Kathua district on Thursday evening via Punjab and is camping in Chadwal, about 70 km from Jammu.

The area where the explosions were reported is a hub of commercial activity and remains busy throughout the day with people owning vehicles of all types visiting the place for repairs and maintenance.