SRINAGAR: A grenade attack rocked Srinagar's Lal Chowk area during rush hour, injuring 12 people near the tourism reception center. The attackers targeted the bustling location, causing panic among locals and tourists. Emergency medical teams and security forces promptly arrived at the scene, moving the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.
This incident follows a significant encounter involving security forces and militants in the Anantnag and Srinagar regions the previous day. In an intense operation, security forces neutralized three terrorists, including a senior commander of the Pakistan-based militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Usman Lashkari. Lashkari, a Pakistani national, was involved in several deadly attacks, including the killing of police inspector Masroor, and was a high-priority target for Indian security agencies.
The operation unfolded in Khanyar, Srinagar, where security forces, acting on intelligence reports, cordoned off a residential area suspected to harbor Lashkari. As forces approached, the militant opened fire, leading to a fierce gunfight. The encounter set the building ablaze, injuring four security personnel before Lashkari was confirmed dead, effectively bringing the operation to a close.