india

Updated: Apr 18, 2019 01:11 IST

In the second grenade attack in south Kashmir’s Pulwama in two days, a Central Reserve Police Force constable was injured on Wednesday after suspected militants lobbed a grenade towards a CRPF camp at Tral Awantipora.

Police said militants fired a grenade from an under barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) towards the CRPF’s 180 Battalion camp at Nowdal area of Tral. A UBGL is a weapon accessory that is fitted below the barrel of a gun and fires a grenade in a trajectory. The grenade attack came on the eve of the second phase of the general elections, in which Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency in central Kashmir goes to the polls.

An official at the police control room in Awantipora said the grenade exploded outside the camp, injuring a CRPF constable. “Shiv Parshad received minor splinter injuries,” he said, adding that the constable was immediately shifted to a hospital.

On Tuesday, unidentified persons hurled a grenade towards the residence of a National Conference (NC) leader in Tral area of Awantipora. Fortunately, it caused no damage.

The grenade exploded outside the house of NC leader, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, moments after a meeting between party workers and the NC Lok Sabha candidate from Anantnag, Hasnain Masoodi, had concluded. The polls for Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in south Kashmir will be held in three phases on April 23, 29 and May 6.

The CRPF was targeted in a major terrorist attack on February 14, with a suicide bomber ramming his car into a bus carrying the troopers in Pulwama district. At least 40 CRPF troopers lost their lives in the attack. After the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack, tensions between India and Pakistan had flared, culminating in air skirmishes along the border and the Balakot strike deep inside Pakistan.