18 BJP workers injured as militants lob grenades

Jammu, May 17 (UNI) At least 18 people, mostly BJP workers and Village Defence Committee (VDC) members, were wounded when militants lobbed grenades at their dharna at Ramleela ground near bus stand in Doda here today.

SSP Manohar Singh told UNI that militants lobbed two grenades on the VDCs sitting with BJP workers at a dharna, protesting recent killings of innocent people in the Doda district and demanding weapons to fight against militancy.

SSP said Police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down the militants responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, the seriously injures two persons rushed to Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, for treatment by road and other two were discharged after first aid.

It was second militant attack on BJP workers holding dharna, which completed 16 days today. On May 13, militants had hurled grenade at same venue in which two BJP activists were killed while 41 people were injured.

Condemning the militant attack, BJP's state unit president, Prof Nirmal Singh said the Jammu and Kashmir government has adopted a soft approach towards militants in view of May 25 Round Table Conference in Srinagar.

Out of 18 wounded police have identified 14 as Amar Chand, Kuldeep Singh, Jeet Singh, Druv Singh, Dhyan Singh, Krishna Singh, Jagdish Raj, Rangeela Ram, Romal Singh, Prabhat Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Panjab, Angrez Singh and Rumal Singh.

UNI HGV PK RN2037