A grenade attack near the heavily-guarded Tourist Reception Centre, close to the bustling Lal Chowk area in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, left 12 civilians injured on Sunday afternoon, according to the J&K Police. The incident took place around 2 p.m., when Pak backed terrorists hurled a grenade at a security force deployment stationed near the crowded Sunday Market.
The explosion occurred amidst a crowd of civilians, injuring 12 people, including a woman who sustained serious injuries. Among the injured are Misba, 17; Azaan Kaloo, 17; Habibullah Rather, 50; Altaf Ahmad Seer, 21; Faizal Ahmad, 16; Uer Farooq; Faizan Mushtaq, 20; Zahid, 19; Gulam Muhammad Sofi, 55; and Sumaiya Jan, 45. Four individuals were treated and discharged after receiving first aid, while two others are reported to require surgery due to severe injuries.
Srinagar’s Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Bilal Mohidin, visited the injured at the hospital, saying that special medical care would be provided. “Two patients will have to undergo surgery. The rest will be discharged after completing their treatment,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and an inexcusable assault on civilians. “The last few days have been dominated by headlines of attacks and encounters in parts of the valley. Today’s news of a grenade attack on innocent shoppers at the ‘Sunday market’ in Srinagar is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for targeting innocent civilians,” Abdullah wrote in a post on X. He urged the security forces to intensify efforts to prevent further violence, stating, “The security apparatus must do everything possible to end this spurt of attacks at the earliest so that people can go about their lives without any fear.”
The Srinagar Police have registered an FIR under Case No. 66/2024, invoking sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with other relevant charges related to explosives. Authorities are treating the incident as a deliberate attempt to disrupt law and order in Srinagar, adding a recent resurgence of terror activity aimed at destabilizing the region.