Mobile blackout threat reaches Srinagar
Grenade hurled at transmission tower
After series of attacks which left two persons dead and telecommunication service disrupted in north Kashmir, a mobile transmission tower was targeted with a grenade in Habba Kadal area of the capital city on Monday.A grenade landed inside the residential compound of Abdul Ahad Haji, which also houses two mobile towers, in Gadood Bagh locality of Habba Kadal constituency.
One person, identified as Shahoo Imtiyaz, was injured in the blast which occurred around 1 PM. A private car, parked in the compound, was also damaged in the incident.
“We are investigating the matter. It is not yet clear whether it was a militant attack or a mischief although the incident was similar to attacks in north Kashmir,” said a senior police officer wishing anonymity.
Two people were killed and three others injured in similar attacks in Sopore and Pattan townships of Baramulla district and Handwara in Kupwara district.
A lesser-known Lashker-e-Islam militant outfit claimed responsibility for the attacks and threatened the mobile operators to wind up services across the Valley.
The first attack was carried out on a BSNL franchise shop at New Colony Sopore, killing an employee and injuring two others. In the second attack, a 62-year-old man who had got a mobile tower installed in the compound of his house in Dooru Sopore was killed.
Third attack was carried out in north Kashmir’s Pattan in which a person was shot who had installed mobile tower at his house.
Police has claimed that the attacks were carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen. However, militant groups have termed them as handiwork of Indian intelligence agencies.
Mobile phone towers in Sopore town are still closed in the wake of the attacks on people who have rented their space for installation of these towers. Subsequently, some threat posters appeared in areas south of Srinagar.
Inspector General of Police SJM Gillani could not be contacted due to disruption in the mobile services in the city Monday evening.
Meanwhile, Army has said it is working in close coordination with police and civil administration to hunt down the culprits involved in attacks aimed at disrupting mobile transmission in the valley.
“Following the attacks in north Kashmir, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, Lt Gen Subrata Saha visited the area and reviewed the situation with senior Army officials. Subsequently, patrolling of the areas was increased to track down the miscreants,” Army spokesman, Col Brijesh Pandey told Rising Kashmir.
“We are working with police and civil administration to find out a solution to the problem,” he added.
