The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Friday escaped an assassination bid at Beerwa in central Budgam district, 35 km from Srinagar.

A senior police officer told this correspondent that militants fired two rifle grenades towards the venue of a rally the Mufti was addressing in the afternoon. The grenades, however, missed the target and fell short of the venue killing a 15-year-old girl, Samreena.

"Three others, including a Central Reserve Police Force trooper, were critically wounded in the attack," the officer said.

The chief minister's security personnel formed a ring around him immediately after the first explosion and took him into a nearby school building .

"The revenue minister was addressing the rally when the grenades exploded," the officer said.

Senior district police and civil officials tried in vain to calm the people as they ran for cover.

The chief minister later addressed a handful of people who stayed back.

Later in the day, the chief minister visited the Sri Pratap College in Srinagar and laid the foundation stone of the new college library complex.

"They want to vitiate the atmosphere in Kashmir. But these attacks won't deter me from pursuing the path of peace and prosperity," he told reporters.