30 wounded in Kashmir grenade attack

Srinagar, Oct 28: At least 30 people, including three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, were wounded in a powerful grenade blast in the apple town of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district today, official sources said.

However, BSF spokesman Vikram Manhas told UNI that three BSF personnel and 18 civilians were wounded in the grenade attack.

He said militants lobbed a hand grenade towards a Maruti Gypsy belonging to the Force's 45 battalion at the Sopore main chowk at around 1245 hrs.

The battalion is headquartered at Sopore. The grenade hit the vehicle resulting in injuries to three BSF personnel while 18 civilians sustained splinter wounds, Mr Manhas said.

However, the sources put the figure of the civilians wounded in the attack at 27.

The injured have been shifted to a hospital where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical. Many of them have been referred to various hospitals here.

Security forces immediately cordoned off the entire area and launched a search operation to nab the ultras.

No militant outfit has so far claimed the responsibility for the grenade attack.

UNI