Five injured in Kashmir blast

Srinagar, Sep 1: Five people were injured, two of them critically, when a grenade of a Special Police Officer (SPO) exploded inside a house in south Kashmir.

However, police said the grenade was lobbed from outside to kill SPO Ashwani.

Official sources said the SPO had entered the house of one Ghulam Mohiuddin Wani at Keller in Pulwama district for recharging his mobile phone.

When the inmates refused, the SPO, from a nearby Special Operation Group (SOG) camp, reportedly took out a grenade and placed it in the room where the inmates were sitting.

The grenade exploded causing injuries to the house owner, his wife Naseema Bano, Abdul Qayoum Khanday, Ruby Jan and Jan Mohammad.

The injured have been admitted to hospital where the condition of two of them is stated to be critical.

Later, people took to the streets protesting against the incident.

Raising slogans, they demanded immediate removal of the SOG camp from the area alleging that those posted there were harassing the women.

However, police said the grenade was hurled from outside to kill Mr Ashwani.

The SPO has been suspended for entering a private house for charging his mobile, sources said.

UNI