SRINAGAR: With militant activities on the rise from the last over a week in south Kashmir, a loud explosion on Tuesday morning created panic among locals and security force personnel deployed at Tral main town in Pulwama.
However, police said it was a firecracker blast.
Business was as usual in Tral bus stand and adjoining area early this morning, when a loud explosion, triggering panic among commuters and shopkeepers in the vicinity.
People, including woman and the elderly, present in the area ran for safety after the blast.
A police official said some miscreants had thrown a firecracker at the vendors, who were setting up their stalls at the bus stand. “There was no report of any injury or damage to the property,” he added.
But, the panic created due to blast is an indicator of the situation in south Kashmir, particularly Tral, where militants have stepped up attacks from the last over a week.
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Assistant Sub-Inspector was injured on Sunday when militants hurled a grenade at the residence of a former MLA Ghulam Nabi at Tral, where gunmen killed a woman and wounded another on the same day. Unidentified gunmen on Sunday night also killed a non-local man in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.
On October 20, militants lobbed a grenade and fired at the residence of a ruling Peoples Democratic Party MLA Mushtaq Shahin at Tral.
PDP former panch Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh was killed by the militants in south Kashmir district of Shopian October 17. A militant, Showkat Falahi was killed in a scuffle with family members and neighbours of Sheikh when they tried to overpower the gunmen who killed the former panch.
On October 18, an Special Police Officer of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Haleem Gujjar, was killed by militants outside his residence at village Gutroo in Tral.
However, chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani condemned the attacks and killings of civilians in the south Kashmir. (AGENCIES)
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