‘I Thought a Tyre Burst’: Eyewitnesses Recount Jammu Grenade Blast

Eyewitnesses said that the massive explosion had rocked the entire area, leaving many afraid for their lives.

Eyewitnesses said that the massive explosion had rocked the entire area, leaving many afraid for their safety.

(Photo: ANI)

A grenade attack struck a crowded bus station in Jammu on Thursday, 7 March, leaving one dead and as many as 29 injured.

Eyewitnesses said that the massive explosion had rocked the entire area, leaving many afraid for their safety.

Ishan Sharma, one of the eyewitnesses, told The Quint that the explosion had left him dazed momentarily.

“Right after the explosion, I saw several people on the ground. Initially, no one could understand what to do… but then, the locals rallied and shifted the injured to the nearby hospital. Soon after, police reinforcements came and took over,” he said.

He also said that the grenade could’ve been planted as it was unlikely to be lobbed without being noticed by the people at the crowded station.

Many Severely Injured

Naseer, who works at a shop near the bus station, said the attack took place at around 11:30 in the morning. “When I approached the spot, I saw that a crowd had gathered, and several people lay injured on the ground.”

He said that the locals, himself included, helped shift the injured to the hospital. “A local fruit vendor was also severely injured in the blast,” he added.

"The blast occurred on the roadside when there was a huge rush of people. I had come to drop my wife who was going to board a bus to Punjab," one of the injured, Kuldeep Singh of the Pragwal area of the city, told PTI.

Singh, who is undergoing treatment at Government Medical College hospital for splinter injuries in the lower parts of his body, said he felt that somebody hurled something which caused the powerful explosion.

‘Thought a Tyre Had Burst’

Some witnesses said they initially thought the sound had been caused by a tyre burst.

"At first, we thought it was a tyre burst. But when we approached the site, we saw people lying injured and in critical condition," said Sunil Kumar (26), as per ANI.

Meanwhile, those present at the spot said they feared that another blast could follow.

“We stayed back fearing another blast, especially because strange sounds were coming from the vehicle. We then called the police,” an eyewitness told Times Now.

He, meanwhile, denied seeing any suspect element, but added that some vehicles nearby were damaged.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI, Times Now)