7 killed, 33 injured in five Srinagar grenade blasts

Srinagar, July 11 (UNI) At least seven people, six of them tourists from West Bengal, were killed and 33 wounded as a series of grenade blast rocked this summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir today.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility so far.

Official sources said the first blast took place when unidentified people hurled a hand grenade on a tourist tempo at Badyari crossing Dalgae on the bank of Dal Lake today.

Reports said the grenade exploded inside the vehicle, causing the death of three tourists on the spot and injuries to 14 others. Three more later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The dead were identified as Sonu Bhatachariya, his wife Chaya, Pritebha, Bindoo Haldar, Kamla and Mrs Kabiree Gosh Rai residents of Kolkata.

Later, security forces and police launched a joint search operation in the area. All vehicles were being searched and people frisked.

An hour later, a grenade explosion took place in a car, at around 1230 hrs at Regal Chowk near here.

They said the car caught fire soon after the blast. Police said four occupants of the vehicle were critically wounded in the explosion and rushed to hospital.

A grenade blast at Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) caused injuries to six people this afternoon. One suspected person was later taken into custody from the area.

Sources said unidentified militants later hurled a hand grenade at a Sumo vehicle at Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the valley.

The grenade exploded inside the vehicle causing injuries to six people. The injured were admitted to hospital where one of them, identified as Anwar Alam, a resident of Bihar, died.

Later, another grenade x x x picking up from para second of Dr 24 '' Insurgency-Kashmir Second Lead Two Last Srinagar.

UNI BAS RL DS1630