A police officer was killed and at least 10 other security officers were injured in a grenade attack on Sunday evening in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowhatta town. The incident took place near Nowhatta police station when a group of policemen and Central Reserve Police Force jawans were returning from duty, reported NDTV.
“There was stone pelting in the area and a police party came under grenade attack,” said senior police officer Imtiyaz Ismael Parray. “One policeman was killed.” The deputy superintendent police of Nowhatta area was also injured in the attack.
The Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen group of militants has claimed responsibility for the attack, reported Kashmir Reader. “The Special Operations Group, not Jammu and Kashmir police, is the target of mujahideen”, said group spokesperson Dr Abdul Haq. “Whoever commits atrocities against Kashmiris will be targeted…Indian forces will be targeted. Today’s attack was carried out because India wants to strengthen its occupation by building tunnels for its troops and it is not interested in the prosperity of Kashmiris.”
The attack took place hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenani-Nashri tunnel in the state on Sunday. The PM urged the youth of the Valley to choose tourism and development over terrorism. “While on the one hand youth in Kashmir were busy pelting stones, on the other some youth were breaking stones to carve out this tunnel,” he said.
On Saturday, an Army convoy was attacked by suspected militants near Srinagar. At least three soldiers were injured in Saturday’s attack. The Srinagar and Anantnag by-polls will be held on April 9 and 12. Separatist groups have called for an election boycott.
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