Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: Militants struck at always busy General Bus Stand, Jammu late tonight throwing grenade on a police vehicles causing injuries to four persons including three police personnel and one civilian.
The militants, who carried out a strike in Jammu City after a long time, managed to escape taking cover of darkness but police have launched a hunt to nab them after cordoning off the area.
Significantly, the militant attack in Jammu City took place during Ramzan ceasefire announced by the Centre Government for Jammu and Kashmir.
SSP Jammu Vivek Gupta told the Excelsior after supervising the spot that militants lobbed a grenade at the police vehicle parked near petrol pump opposite a restaurant at Bus Stand around 10.45 pm, causing injuries to four persons.
“The militants managed to escape from the spot taking cover of darkness but we have laid many cordoned and strengthened nakas to trap the militants. Searches are being conducted at various place,’’ Gupta said.
Police sources said there could be just one or at the most two militants, who slipped away after throwing the grenade, targeting policy Gypsy, parked near a petrol pump and opposite a famous restaurant at Bus Stand.
SHO Bus Stand Inspector Rajesh Jasrotia, Gypsy Driver SPO Arjun Kumar, 33, son of Dheero Lal R/O Shama Chak, Selection Grade Constable Shah Israr son of Amanullah R/o Surankot, Poonch and a civilian Jagdev Raj, 42, son of Prem Chand R/o village Lakhri in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district were injured as grenade exploded with a bang after hitting the policy Gypsy.
The SSP Jammu, SP City Vinod Kumar, DySP City Varun Jandial and DySP Sagar Singh among others rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to hospital. While injuries to the SHO were superficial, three other injured have been admitted in the Government Medical College, Jammu.
Some vehicles were also damaged in the grenade attack.
Sources, however, said that a major catastrophe was averted as the area was crowded as inter-State buses were leaving Bus Stand for different stations and there were large number of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and other tourists at the Bus Stand.
This is after the long time that a grenade blast took place in the Jammu City. Police said they have intensified searches to nab the militants.
Soon after the attack, local shopkeepers of Bus Stand and other activists gathered at the spot and shouted slogans against Pakistan. Some of the activists also shouted slogans against the BJP for declaring ceasefire, leading to militant attack after a long time.
After a halt of about an hour, night movement inter-State buses from the Bus Stand, resumed.
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