Kupwara Police Chief Hurt In Blast

The police chief of Kupawara district and his seven bodyguards were seriosuly injured in another blast set off by secessionist rebels yesterday. The incident followed the powerful blast in Jammu on Saturday in which 16 persons were killed.

Police sources said a massive hunt had been mounted to nab the culprits responsible for the Jammu blast. Sources said police and security forces have been raiding suspected hideouts in Jammu city; some persons have already been detained for questioning. Sources disclosed that several kilogrammes of explosives was planted in a car which was parked by six unidentified persons at the entrance of the main Jammu bus station.

One Delhi-bound video coach and a private bus were destroyed in the blast. Several shops were also destroyed. So far 10 bodies have been handed over to the relatives after identification. The situation in Jammu was tense yesterday and angry youths, shouting anti-government slogans, hurled rocks at the police.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah visited the hospital and met the injured. He was accompanied by the police chief and other officers. The BJP has called for a Jammu bandh today against the blast. The authorities have ordered a massive security beef up. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings. Meanwhile, Abdul Quyoom Manhas, senior superintendent of police in Kupwara, his seven security guards and the SHO were seriously injured when a powerful bomb exploded while they were examining a body of a suspected militant.

They were immediately shifted to the hospital.

Giving details about the incident a police official told Business Standard here that police was informed that a body and some arms and ammunition were lying at Vilgam and it was later shifted to the police station. While the SSP and the SHO were examining it, a bomb went off injuring the policemen. Senior army and para-military force officers reached the spot.

The SSP and the SHO were shifted here for treatment.