Bombs and bullets have again buried the hope of peace in Jammu, defying the tight security arrangement ahead of the Republic Day, leaving 9 people injured on Saturday.
The first one incident took place in the busy Narwal area within 15 minutes beside a scrap shop of scraps. The IEDs exploded just at a stone’s throw distance from an army camp in the Narwal Transport area, the parking place of vehicles, not too far away from Sidhra, where 4 heavily armed Pakistani terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad traveling to Kashmir in a truck were killed in an encounter with security forces.
The police suspect that the powerful explosive devices were planted inside vehicles, which exploded with a huge sound leaving a car and a jeep completely ravaged. Many 2 wheelers also were left badly damaged under the impact of the explosions.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is also all set to cross the area on Wednesday next on the same route, rocked by the twin explosions in the morning. Very recently, the Congress leaders have urged the Lt Governor to ensure peace during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Army, police and para military forces reached the spot and launched the massive manhunt in search of the culprits cordoning off the entire area.
The injured people were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital, where they have been undergoing treatment. Doctors said that all 9 injured have splinter injuries and 3 of them also had fracture on lower limbs
The injured people include Sohail Kumar (35), Sushil Kumar (26), Vishap Partap (25), Vinod kumar (52), Arun Kumar (25), Amit Kumar (40) and Rajesh Kumar (35).
NIA and SIA have rushed teams separately to the spot which gathered some vital evidence of the incidents.
Yet another incident of explosion has been reported from the Poonch district, which took place in the house of a former MLA, triggering no less panic among the people in the entire area.
According to former Surankote MLA and prominent Gujjar leader Choudhary Mohammad Akram, the incident took place at 7.30 on Friday evening, where his family had a narrow escape as the splinters pierced the ceiling of the rooms of his house in Lassana village.
“I was not at home at the time. Later, I came to know that there was a powerful explosion, followed by some gunshots. Police and Army officials visited my house immediately after the incident and they are ascertaining the details,” Akram said.
Akram, who resigned from the Congress in support of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad last year but later distanced himself from Azad’s Democratic Azad Party, demanded a thorough probe into the incident.
A police official said empty cartridges of a 12-bore gun were found from the scene of the incident. “We came to know about a blast near the house of the former MLA and immediately rushed to the scene. A halogen light was found damaged and empty cartridges of a 12-bore gun were found on the spot,” he said, adding that further investigation is progressing.
The Army, CRPF and police have cordoned the entire area to nab the terrorists. ADGP Jammu, Mukesh Singh confirmed the blasts and the investigation is going on. Forensic experts have gathered evidence of the incident.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the incident and asked the security forces to firmly deal with the situation.
“Such dastardly acts highlight the desperation and cowardice of those responsible. Take immediate and firm action. No efforts should be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice,” said the Lt Governor.
Sinha, further, announced compensation of Rs. 50,000 each to those injured people and hoped for their early recovery. He asked the administration to ensure best possible treatment for these 9 injured people.