Child among 3 wounded in Kashmir blast

Srinagar, May 6 (UNI) A child was among three people wounded when militants fired a rifle grenade on a rally organised by the Youth Congress in south Kashmir's Anantnag district today.

Elsewhere in the state, militants escaped with arms and ammunition from a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member and detonated a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said.

He said suspected militants hurled a hand grenade toward a public meeting organised by the Youth Congress at Nanel in south Kashmir's Anantnag district at around 1500 hrs.

The grenade exploded on the roadside, causing injuries to three people, including a child. A Tata Sumo vehicle was also damaged in the blast, he added.

The injured have been identified as 11-year-old Nighat Hameed, Fazi Begum (50) and Safdar Ali Sheikh. They have been hospitalised.

The spokesman said militants barged into the house of VDC member Mohammad Sabir at Neel Top in Doda district of Jammu region late last night and took away one .303 rifle along with 50 rounds.

A powerful IED blast occurred near the Apple town of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district last night, but there were no casualties, official sources said today.

They said militants triggered the IED near Malmanpanpora village on the Sopore-Bandipora road as a security force vehicle passed through the area.

However, the IED exploded after the vehicle had crossed the area.

No one was wounded in the blast, the sources said.

Security forces later cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to nab the militants.

UNI