Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Sept 21: Public Works Minister and senior leader of ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Naeem Akhtar, escaped unhurt as militants hurled a grenade at his cavalcade in Tral town of Pulwama district today, killing two civilians and injuring 30 including two officers of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department.
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Sources said that when the cavalcade of the Minister reached near Bus Stand, militants hurled a grenade which hit the roof of the bullet proof vehicle of DySP and exploded on the road injuring 32 people including nine security men and Superintending Engineer (SE) and Executive Engineer of Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department.
Police fired in air but the militants managed to escape after the attack leaving 32 people injured who were evacuated to nearby hospital. Two of the injured identified as Pinky Kour daughter of Ichpal Singh resident of Chattrogam and Ghulam Nabi Trag son of Ghulam Ahmad Trag resident of Tral-e-Payeen succumbed to injuries on way to hospital. The injured included 7 CRPF men, 2 policemen and 21 civilians.
All the civilians were shifted to SDH Tral where from 16 civilians and two CRPF men were discharged while rest of the injured were shifted to Srinagar hospital for treatment.
Some of the injured have been identified as Ghulam Mohammad Mir Son of Ghulam Rasool Mir resident of Brental, Sajad Ahmad Zargar son of Ghulam Hassan Zargar resident of Tral, Ghulam Moh Ud Din Lone son of Ghulam Hassan resident of Khassipora, Ghulam Hassan Dar son of Habib Dar resident of Pampore, Riyaz Ahmad Naik son of Mohammad Yousuf Naik resident of Tral, Manzoor Ahmad Reshi son of Rasool Reshi resident of Tral, Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh resident of Tral, Zeeba wife of Rashid Khan resident of Hundoora, Ghulam Nabi Lone son of Ghulam Hassan Lone resident of Khasipora, Abdul Sattar Bhat son of Reshi Bhat resident of Brental, Ghulam Nabi Naik Son of Ghulam Rasool Naik resident of Tral Payeen, Ubaid Hassan son of Ghulam Hassan resident of Tral, Mohammad Amin Kumar Son of Abdul Gani Kumar resident of Tral, Dazy wife of Shabir Ahmad Rather resident of Lalgam, Baby daughter of Shabir Ahmad Rather resident of Lalgam, Ravinder Kour Wife of Parimjeet Kour resident of Gudpora, Satnam Kour wife of Devinder Singh resident of Gudpora, Ghulam Mohammad Mir Son of Ghulam Rasool Mir resident of Brental, Abdul Gani resident of Buchoo, Showkat Ahmad, Supdtt Engineer, R&B, Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Satari Son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Bijbehera, Shahid Shabir son of Shabir Ahmad Lone resident of Shahabad, Karamjeet Singh son of Babu Singh resident of Chattergam, Hilal Ahmad son of Abdul Rehman Reshi resident of Tral and Shabir Ahmad, Constable.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Home, Rajnath Singh today called Minister for Works, Naeem Akhtar to enquire about his well being in the aftermath of a deadly grenade attack on his cavalcade in Tral this morning.
Governor, N N Vohra also called the Minister expressing solidarity with him.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the grenade attack at Tral. She said it is unfortunate that the attack took place when a Minister had gone to the town to assess the development needs of the area which has remained neglected for decades. She said the vicious cycle of violence which unfortunately has engulfed the State for three decades now, needs to be broken to stop the bloodshed and provide a breather to the people who have been choked by it.
“How long are we going to suffer like this on human, developmental, economic, educational and social fronts. We shall have to ponder over for how long this senseless bloodletting is going to consume us”, Mehbooba said while conveying her sympathies with bereaved families of those killed and also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Akhtar while giving details about the attack said that it is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar. “The tragic loss of innocent lives in this gory incident will always pain and haunt me”, he said.
The Minister said the perpetrators must eschew the path of violence because till date they have accomplished nothing out of bloodshed except adding to the miseries and sufferings of the people. “I wonder why they chose this day (1st Muharram) to repeat Karbala,” he said.
The Minister said unfortunately the incidents of violence like today’s grenade attack are only aimed at reversing the developmental process which was initiated in Tral area. “People of Tral like other places too want dependable basic amenities and other facilities and they have every right to demand it from the Government and elected representatives,” he said. He urged the people of the area to see and analyse themselves for how much time such incidents can keep Tral out of bounds for development.
The Minister said Government has been focusing to lead Tral into a new era of development but it is these unfortunate incidents of violence that stall the process. “For ages, Tral has been unable to cherish the fruits of development and we in the Government wanted to change this scenario by taking up various projects of development”, he said.
“Our work received a fillip during the last few months as there was comparative peace in the area. As of now works worth Rs 100 crore are underway in Tral and our focus is to work in such a way so as to make up for the lost time”, said Akhtar
While pointing to the injured SE of R&B, the Minister said that the officials like him have done a commendable job and it is the general people whose life have been made easier due to the roads and buildings built by them. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of driver of the department, who was also injured in the incident.
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