Militant attack during NC leaders tour to down town Srinagar

Srinagar, Nov 12 (UNI) Militants made an abortive bid to attack senior leader of the National Conference (NC) Mubarak Gul when he was touring his constituency in the downtown city this afternoon.

''I was touring my Eidgah constituency when unidentified persons hurled a hand grenade at Chamardoori in the Sher-e-Khas,'' Mr Gul, who was chief whip of the NC in the dissolved assembly told UNI.

He said he visited a number of areas during the day in the constituency and met a large number of people.

Mr Gul, a three time MLA, said. ''we will not be cowed down by such attacks. These attacks will take place and we will have to move forward,'' he said.

An eyewitness told UNI that the grenade attack was carried out by the militants when Mr Gul was moving in the area in his white vehicle.

However, the grenade hit a vacant house and exploded without causing any damage.

This was the first such attack since the election process was started after the Election Commission announced the seven-phase poll schedule for 87-member assembly on October 19.

Later security forces conducted searches in the area but the militants had managed to escape.

The Eidgah constituency will go to polls in the last and seventh phase of elections on November 24.

UNI BAS YSS RP RK1745