SRINAGAR, 22 May 2006 — Eight people, including three Congress party workers, were killed and several injured when militants launched a daring attack on a political rally in the heart of Srinagar yesterday. Two other civilians and a policeman were killed in the attack, senior police official S.K. Ahuja said. Two militants were killed in firing by the security forces.
In all about 30 people were reportedly injured, including three senior police officers.
The report could not be confirmed with one official saying, “scores were hurt.” The injured were rushed to hospital in bullet-proof vehicles. Two militant groups — the Lashkare- Taiba and Al Mansourian — have called local media offices and claimed responsibility for the attack.
More than five thousand people were attending the rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir grounds, organized by the youth wing of the Congress party to observe the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The militants had gained entry into the high-security area and started hurling hand grenades and firing at the podium and the audience. Witnesses said they were dressed in police uniforms. Security forces guarding the venue returned fire.
A number of top Congress party leaders were attending the meeting. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad was also scheduled to attend the rally. Sources said the attack began minutes before Azad was due to arrive at the venue.
After more than two hours of exchange of fire, the security forces killed two suspected militants, evacuated the grounds of all people and cordoned off the area. Ahuja did not rule out the involvement of more militants.
The security forces were stretched with the moderate faction of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference also holding a rally in Srinagar yesterday about 12 kilometers from the venue of the attack.
Police said more than 15,000 people were present at the Hurriyat rally to commemorate the death anniversaries of two former leaders.
Yesterday’s attack comes days before a round table conference scheduled between separatists, political leaders and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Srinagar. The talks, to be held Wednesday, are part of efforts to bring peace and normalcy to militancy-ridden Kashmir.
Kashmir’s separatist political leaders had, however, indicated that they may not attend the conference. In a joint statement published in the local Kashmiri media yesterday, four terror outfits warned the separatist political groups to stay away from the talks.
“We have completed all preparations to disrupt the round table conference,” the statement said adding that all such talks and conferences were putting the Kashmir issue into the “cold storage.” The authorities had been apprehensive that the militants may launch an attack before the conference and the entire Kashmir Valley has been placed on high security alert. “The round table conference is of international significance. Some boys here and there would like to create a situation to show they are very much there,” Azad had said while addressing a meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Chambers of Commerce Saturday.
Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi condemned the attack terming it “an act of cowardice.” Manmohan Singh condemned the attack, saying such attempts could not prevent efforts to bring peace to the Himalayan region.
“The prime minister has condemned the terror attack in Srinagar today,” a statement from his office said.
“The prime minister said that it is only through dialogue that a lasting solution can be found,” it said, adding that Manmohan was looking forward to participating in the meeting in Srinagar on Wednesday.
A federal Home Ministry spokesman said the meeting with the prime minister would be held as scheduled. “The attack will not affect the peace process,” he said.
