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Militants try to blow up J and K secretariat with scooter bomb

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Panic gripped the Jammu and Kashmir civil secretariat as militants made an attempt to blow up the heavily guarded state administrative head quarters with a scooter bomb today, when the Farooq Abdullah government completed two years in office.

Officials admitted that it was a major security lapse. The building is guarded by Central Reserve Police Force battalions and the police.

Militant sources said they managed to take the scooter to the backside of the secretariat despite tight security restrictions.

This is the first time that militants have struck in the secretariat area in the past two years.

Eight pedestrians were injured in the blast. The condition of two injured is stated to be critical.

Senior police and security force officers rushed to the spot. Searches were mounted even as troops carried house-to-house searches in several localities in the old city of Srinagar after militants struck at four places. The incidents left 14 persons injured including 11 security force and police jawans.

The police said militants opened fire on a Border Security Force bunker in Idd Gah locality resulting in serious injuries to two jawans.

Troops, who later moved into the area, made the residents gather in an open field for identification parades.

Following this, militants attacked a police vehicle with a powerful bomb injuring 10 persons, including CRPF and police jawans.

Militants also opened fire at a security force picket at Gojiwara in the old city resulting in injuries to two BSF jawans. The troops retaliated injuring two bystanders.

Residents alleged that troops subjected them to harassment and beating during the searches.

Following today's incidents security in Srinagar has been tightened even as the authorities reviewed the situation at a series of high-level meetings. It has been decided to intensify searches in Srinagar and other places.

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