3 terror associates involved in Srinagar 'Sunday Market' grenade attack arrested

Srinagar, Nov 8 (IANS) The three terror associates involved in a grenade attack at the Sunday Market in Srinagar on November 3 have been arrested, police said on Friday.

Over a dozen people were injured when terrorists hurled a grenade at the Sunday Market near the tourist reception centre (TRC).

Addressing a media conference here, IGP, Kashmir, V.K. Birdi said: "The recent TRC grenade attack case in which 12 civilians were injured has been cracked and three terror associates involved in the act of grenade lobbing have been arrested and booked under the UAPA."

"On November 3, a grenade was lobbed at TRC that left 12 civilians including a woman and a man seriously wounded. In the attack, Abida was seriously wounded. She has little kids. Similarly, Habibullah, the lone bread earner for his family, was also seriously injured. Habibullah has a bed-ridden son at his home," he said.

He said that the Srinagar police constituted teams and tasked them to investigate the case.

"After thorough investigations, three persons, who are affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit and were behind the TRC grenade attack, were arrested. The arrested persons have been identified as Usama Yasin Sheikh, Umar Fayaz Shiekh, and Afnan Ahmed, all residents of Ikhrajpora, Srinagar," IGP Birdi said.

"All three have been booked under the UAPA and a case against them has been lodged in police station Kothibagh. They carried out this act at the behest of Pakistan-based handlers," he added.

The attack was widely condemned and it was the first of its kind in Srinagar city for the last many years. Sunday Market is a popular street market where hawkers spread their merchandise including warm clothes, crockery, shoes, jackets, garments etc on the street, attracting crowds of eager customers.

--IANS

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