NC demands inquiry into Kulgam blast, allege PDP minister hand

Srinagar, July 8 (UNI) The National Conference (NC) has demanded an inquiry into the Kulgam blast in which five people, including a former party legislator Ghulam Nabi Dar was killed and scores wounded today.

Alleging that a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) minister in the coalition government was behind the blast, NC, the main opposition party in the state, said the attack on party leaders was a 'deep-rooted conspiracy'.

Senior leaders of the NC, including joint secretary Sheikh Ghulam Rasool Saloora alleged that a senior minister was behind the blast, in which a former NC party MLA was among five people killed and scores, including former minister Sakina Itoo were injured.

Without naming the minister, the NC leaders alleged that a plan was made yesterday at Kulgam by the minister to target the rally.

Mr Saloora said this was the eighth attempt to eliminate former minister Sakina Itoo from the political scene.

He appealed to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to order an inquiry into the attack so that those responsible were brought to book.

Mr Saloora alleged the said minister provided shelter to killers of former Speaker and NC leader Wali Mohammad Itoo and helped in their (killers) release from jail.

NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah, president Omar Abdullah and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather have strongly condemned the grenade attack on the party rally.

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