One Killed, 3 Injured in Grenade Attack on Wine Shop in J&K's Baramulla

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One person was killed and three others were injured in a grenade attack on a wine shop in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K)'s Baramulla district on Tuesday, 17 May.

The incident comes just days after a civilian was killed in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, 15 May, during an exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists.

Police sources said that a militant disguised as a buyer hurled a grenade at the wine shop in Baramulla town on Tuesday evening, which exploded and injured four persons. The police added that the attackers were veiled and escaped on a motorbike after throwing the grenade.

"At about 2010 hours, two terrorists riding a bike stopped near the newly opened wine shop at Dewan Bagh Baramulla," the police said in a statement. "The pillion rider wearing a burqa (veil) walked to the window of the said shop and dropped a grenade inside the said wine shop through a port hole window."

"The injured persons were immediately shifted to the hospital where one succumbed to splinter injuries," the police added. Another critically injured employee was referred to a Srinagar hospital for treatment.

The area was later cordoned off and a search operation was launched.

More About the Incident

The wine shop in the Dewan Bagh area of Baramulla town had been opened recently and was allotted to a resident of Jammu.

According to the police, the four men belonged to different parts of Jammu.

The deceased was identified as Ranjit Singh of Bakra Rajouri, while the injured Govardhan Singh and Ravi Kumar were from Kathua, and Govind Singh from Kangra Rajouri. Police sources said that Govind Singh was in a critical condition.

The Dewan Bagh area of Baramulla falls under the high-security zone and houses the offices of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police North Kashmir, SSP Baramulla, and the residence of the GoC 19 Infantry Division, reported The Indian Express. The area is highly fortified and under 24x7 CCTV surveillance.

The J&K government had recently issued several licences for opening wine shops in the Valley. However, the same was met with opposition from religious parties and some locals.

According to the daily, even the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kashmir unit had expressed concern over opening a liquor shop on the outskirts of Srinagar city and wanted it to be shifted as they did not want to hurt the sentiments of the people residing in the area.

There have been several instances of militants targeting liquor shops in the Valley in the past.

Terrorism on the Rise in the Valley

The Kashmir Valley is in the midst of another surge of militant attacks on civilians, non-locals, and security forces.

A police constable was shot dead by suspected militants at his residence in Pulwama on Friday, 13 May, the police said. SPO Reyaz Ahmad Thoker was attacked in his home in Gudroo village and was shifted to the Army's 92 base hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

On 12 May, Rahul Bhat, an employee at the Tehsildar's Office in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district, succumbed to his wounds after he was injured during a shooting.

Massive protests by Kashmiri Pandits erupted in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir on the night of 12 May. The protesters, including government officers and their families, demanded that the Lieutenant Governor's administration ensure that their community was safe in the Valley.

Later, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that security would be increased in the residential areas in the Valley where government Kashmiri Pandit employees reside.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)