'Attack on tourists last desperate attempt by militants'

Srinagar, May 26 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the attack on tourists yesterday was an ''isolated incident, marking the last desperate attempts of vanishing militants to show their presence.'' Mr Azad broke down as he attempted to pacify the families of the victims, at the airport when the team of tourists, who lost four of their companions in the grenade attack, were leaving for Gujarat on a special IAF flight.

Praising their bravery, courage and sense of realisation, he said that the state government was determined to revive the age-old glory of Kashmir and make it heaven for tourists.

''Such attempts of militants shall not deter brave tourists from visiting Kashmir,'' Mr Azad said.

The families of victims were all praise for the people, who took them to hospital immediately after the blast and even donated blood for the treatment of the injured.

''People have full love for the visiting tourists and they have maintained their thousand-year-old tradition of helping those who are in trouble,'' they said, adding these attacks by ''cowardly militants'' shall not affect the age-old relations of tourists and Kashmir.

The Chief Minister also enhanced the ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the victims from one to two lakh.

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