In a second deadly incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri within 24 hours, a child was killed and seven others were injured in an IED blast on Monday.
Three suspected terrorist acts have rocked Jammu and Kashmir in the first two days of the new year. Four people were killed on Sunday in suspected terrorists' firing in Rajouri's Upper Dangri village. In the same village, a child died on Monday in an IED blast. There was also a grenade attack in Srinagar.
In a second deadly incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri within 24 hours, a child was killed and seven others were injured in an IED blast on Monday.
On Sunday, suspected terrorists opened fire at houses in Rajouri’s Upper Dangri village, killing four and wounding six others. In the same village, near the house of one of the firing victims, an IED blast occurred on Monday that killed a child and injured at least seven others — three of them children.
"The [improvised explosive device — IED] blast has taken place near the house of the first firing incident. Five people were injured. One child succumbed to injuries and another is critical," said J&K Police's Additional Director General (ADG), Jammu, Mukesh Singh.
Singh added the injured have been take to a hospital. He further said that another suspected IED was spotted.
Singh cited locals to say that two terrorists carried out the Sunday's attack.
There were several people, including the kin of the Sunday attack's victim, in the house when blast took place between 9 to 9.30 am, eyewitnesses said.
The blast took place near the house of Pritam Lal, a victim of Sunday's attack, eyewitnesses claimed. The police also said the same.
"The improvised explosive device (IED) was planted beneath a bag. It exploded. One child has died and seven others are injured," said ADG Singh.
Singh added that the incident is being probed and the entire area has been cordoned off.
The four-year-old child killed in the blast has been identified as Vihan Kumar, officials said, identifying the wounded as Sanvi Sharma (4), Kanaya Sharma (14), Vanshu Sharma (15), Samiksha Devi (20), Sharda Devi (38), Kamlesh Devi (55), and Samiksha Sharma. They further said the wounded are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The four people killed on Sunday have been identified as Satish Kumar (45), Deepak Kumar (23), Pritam Lal (57), and Shishu Pal (32). The blast took place near Pritam Lal's house.
Officials said a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached Dangri and it will conducted an initial probe.
The Indian Army and J&K Police are conducting a massive search operation, said ADG Singh, who reached the spot along with Jammu-Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar.
The Sunday attack was the first such in the past many years in the otherwise peaceful Jammu region and coincided with the first day of the New Year.
Five killings within 24 hours in Rajouri's Dangri have plunged the area in outrage and insecurity.
The killings triggered protests across the district, including in Rajouri town, amid a complete shut down.
Sarpanch Deepak Kumar said that it was a serious security lapse on the part of olice and security agencies.
"It is serious security lapse by security agencies. Minority community people do not feel secured. The administration should take tough measures," he told reporters in Rajouri.
Gunshots were fired for around 10 minutes on Sunday evening in Rajouri’s Upper Dangri villag.
While the police have so far only called the attackers "armed men", the J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, who has extensively worked in the area, told reporters in Jammu that “Pakistani terrorists are behind the attack” in Dangri village.
The IED blast on Monday is the third suspected terrorist act in Jammu and Kashmir within the first two days of the new year.
In another incident on Sunday, a grenade attack was also reported from Srinagar, which left one civilian wounded.
“There was an attempt to throw grenade on a CRPF vehicle in crowded area of MK chowk it missed target and caused minor splinter injury to one local boy. Operations launched in area to nab the culprit.” The wounded person has been identified as Sameer Ahmed Malla son of Manzoor Ahmed Malla resident of Habak.
(With inputs from PTI)