Four CRPF personnel among eight injured in Srinagar grenade attacks

Four paramilitary CRPF personnel and many civilians were injured in two separate grenade blasts in Srinagar on Saturday evening.

Reports said the militants hurled a grenade on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 82 battalion at Fatehkadal in the old city in which three paramilitary men, including an assistant sub-inspector, sustained splinter injuries. Three pedestrians, including a 70-year-old woman, also received injuries in the blast.

The injured were shifted to nearby hospital for treatment, reports added.

Senior Superintend Police (SSP) Srinagar, Imtiaz Parray while confirming the attack said the CRPF personnel were deployed in the area for law and order duty.

In a separate incident, a paramilitary trooper was injured in a grenade blast at Budshah bridge near Maisuma in city centre Lalchowk. A police officer said the militants hurled a grenade on CRPF vehicle at Budshah bridge in which a paramilitary trooper sustained splinter injuries. A pedestrian is also said to have received injuries in the incident.

A local news gathering agency GNS quoting Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) spokesperson while claiming responsibility for the attacks said it was carried out as part of “Operation Badr.”

The security in Kashmir had been placed on high alert in the wake of inputs that Jaish militants may try to target their installations on the 17th day of Ramzan, which coincides with the Battle of Badr. The Battle of Badr was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Prophet Muhammad’s struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca.