Militants lob grenades at BJP rally; kill two workers, injured 41

Jammu, May 13 (UNI) Two BJP workers were killed and at least 41 injured, when militants lobbed powerful grenades at a party protest rally near Doda Bus stand in Jammu and Kashmir today.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) P R Manhas told UNI this evening that militants hurled powerful grenades at a protest rally.

however, no militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.

The rally was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir unit of Bhartiya Janata Party against militancy and massacres of 35 Hindus in two separate militant attacks in Doda and Udhampur districts earlier this month.

At least two BJP workers died on the spot and 41 were injured in the incident. Some passengers were also injured injuries. Seven persons were discharged after first aid and others are being treated in district hospital at Doda while six of the seriously injured have shifted to Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) at in Jammu by helicopter.

Mr Manhas said security arrangement has been beefed up at the bus stand and surrounding areas. The local police has started search operation to apprehend those terrorists responsible for the blast, he added.

The BJP has strongly condemned the militant attack on its workers and has organised for a protest rally here in the evening.

Talking to media persons after the attack J&K BJP spokesperson Prof Hariom condemned the act and demanded the dismissal of the Congress- led coalition government charging it with openly favouring the 'militants and Pakistani interests.' ''It appears that the government has abandoned the concern for Hindus, otherwise a rally of about 1500 BJP activists at Doda could not have been attacked had the government deployed proper security at the venue of rally,'' he alleged.

BJP also demanded the Village Defence Committee (VDC) members and Special Police Officers (SPOs) be given sophisticated weapons. Prof hariom identified one of the killed party worker as Bhushan.

UNI HGV PA VC/RN1936