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28 hurt in blast at Srinagar's telecom complex

At least 28 persons were injured when a massive explosion rocked the heavily-guarded telecommunication complex in Srinagar Tuesday morning. In other incidents, five paramilitary personnel were killed and 25 persons including four members of the Border Security Force were injured.

Meanwhile a prominent separatist leader and former chief commander of pro-Pak Hizbollah escaped unhurt when an attempt was made on his life at his house at Buchwara in uptown Srinagar Tuesday morning. Police said two unidentified gunmen came to the house of Shahidul Islam. Both whipped out pistols and were about to open fire at Islam. Islam however hurled his firepot on the two militants forcing them to flee. Police sources said the militants fired a shot that missed Islam, presently a senior leader of pro-Pak Awami Action Committee, headed by Moulvi Omar Farooq.

No one has owned responsibility for the incident.

Meanwhile, the early morning blast at the telecom complex rocked Srinagar's civil lines area. Sources said the massive explosion resulted in injuries to 28 civilians, who were waiting to pay their phone bills.

Sources said a portion of the office was damaged. Police and security forces rushed to the spot. Ambulances with wailing sirens helped shift the injured to hospital.

The explosion triggered panic with bystanders running helter-skelter. The telecommunication complex is guarded by the Central Reserve Police Force.

Senior police officials visited the complex and ordered that security be beefed up. The complex houses the main telephone exchange and office of the General Manager, Telecom, Kashmir. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The injured are being treated at the SMHS hospital in Srinagar and the condition of two persons is stated to be critical.

The alleged custodial death of a medical shop owner at Kheipore Tangmarg in north Kashmir triggered massive protests Tuesday morning. Police sources said the army picked up Abdul Majeed Khan, the shop owner, on Monday and his body was handed over to the local police Tuesday morning.

Police sources said three BSF jawans were killed and two were seriously injured in a shooting incident inside a bunker at Jamalatta in downtown Srinagar. Police sources said militants sneaked inside the bunker and fired indiscriminately. A BSF official, on the other hand told this correspondent late Tuesday afternoon, that a BSF soldier went berserk and opened fire on his colleagues manning the bunker.

In another incident, an inebriated CRPF jawan opened fire on his colleagues guarding the house of a relative of senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad at Hyderpora by-pass. The cop was later overpowered and handed over to police.

Militants hurled a hand grenade on security forces near Janglat Mandi area in Anantnag in south Kashmir injuring 15 civilians.

The injured were shifted to hospital.

The timely detection of a powerful improvised explosive device planted in a parked scooter averted a major tragedy in Jehangir Chowk in uptown Srinagar Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir police claimed they had arrested the chief commander of Jamiatul Mujaheedin, Mirza Muzzaffar. Following his arrest the Kashmir range police chief Dr A K Bhan said raids were conducted in Srinagar and Calcutta which led to more arrests. He said following these arrests police has foiled the outfit's plan to set off car bombs in Srinagar and other places.

Mirza was arrested by the special operations group in 1997 but was subsequently released.

The Jamiatul Mujaheedin was formed in 1990 by Nasirul Islam who broke away from the Hizbul Mujaheedin. The Jamiatul, which was once a frontline militant outfit, suffered major setbacks following the killing and arrest of its top leadership.

Nasir was killed by the BSF in 1993. The organisation, which was recently reactivated, is presently headed by Ghulam Rasool Shah alias Gen Abdullah. Shah, who escaped from Srinagar's SMHS hospital last October and crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

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