Jammu bus stand blast: 2 dead, 32 injured in grenade explosion, shopkeepers appealed to install CCTV cameras

The death count in Thursday's grenade attack at Jammu bus stand has climbed to two with one more person succumbed to his injuries at the Government Medical College hospital this morning. The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Sharik from Kashmir. Besides, 32 others, including 11 from the Valley, 10 from Jammu and others from outside the state, were injured in the grenade explosion which rocked the crowded general bus stand in the heart of Jammu city on Thursday. Within hours of the blast, Yasir Javed Bhat, a resident of Khanpora-Dassein village in Kulgam whom the police said was tasked by terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen to carry out the attack was arrested.

"UPDATE: Grenade attack at Jammu bus stand yesterday: One more person succumbs to his injuries at the hospital. Death toll rises to two," the news agency ANI reported.

#UPDATE Grenade attack at Jammu bus stand yesterday: One more person succumbs to his injuries at the hospital. Death toll rises to two.

— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2019

Meanwhile, a day after the ghastly terror attack in the state, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday appealed to shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras to help the force to keep the city safe.  Inspector General of Police, Jammu, M K Sinha made the appeal in a post on his Twitter account.

It was the third grenade attack by terrorists on Jammu bus stand since May 2018 and comes just three weeks after the gruesome terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14 that killed 42 CRPF jawans and injured dozens of others bringing India and Pakistan on brink of war.

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The grenade explosion was carried out inside the general bus stand area around 11.50 am on Thursday morning. A parked bus of the state road transport corporation (SRTC) suffered extensive damage in the blast causing panic among the people.

Immediately after the explosion, people ran for safety and later as the situation returned to normal they evacuated the injured to the hospital. Police parties along with sniffer dogs and forensic experts rushed to the spot and launched a search operation.

Political parties condemned the grenade attack with the BJP pledging to wipe out terrorism and the Congress expressing concern over security preparedness. Governor Satya Pal Malik directed the administration to provide best medical assistance to the injured.