ISLAMABAD – At least one person was killed and 17 wounded Monday in agrenade blast at a crowded market in Indian-administered Kashmir’s maincity Srinagar, police and doctors said.
Kashmir has been on a knife-edge since August 5 when the Indian governmentmoved to strip the region of its autonomy, imposed a lockdown, cuttelecommunications and detained thousands.
No one claimed Monday’s blast but authorities have in the past accusedmilitants backed by Pakistan of intimidating people into resisting Indianattempts to return life to normal.
Doctors at the main hospital told AFP that the deceased was a resident ofnorthern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
“Two people are critical,” a doctor said on condition of anonymity.
Srinagar police chief Haseeb Mughal told AFP that 18 people were injuredout of whom one died at the hospital.
Kashmir is divided between India and its arch-foe Pakistan, and both claimit in full.
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Militants seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan have waged anarmed rebellion against New Delhi since 1989.
Around half of mobile phones remain cut off, as does the internet, whilehundreds of local political leaders are still in detention, mostly withoutcharge.
Markets, schools and public areas remain closed with government forcesstill patrolling the streets, with periodic security lockdowns imposed onmany parts of the region.
A dozen non-locals have been killed by suspected militants, including sixmigrant workers last week, that police said were aimed at driving them awayand create fear. -APP/AFP
