PIX: Two explosions at NC rallies in Kashmir injure 13

Two explosions during and before ruling National Conference poll rallies in Srinagar and central Kashmir’s Budgam districts left 13 persons injured on Sunday.

A senior police officer, however, said they were investigating the nature of the blasts at both places.

The first explosion hit a heavily-guarded NC rally which was being addressed by party president and Union minister Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Khanyar in the heart of the summer capital Srinagar on Sunday morning.

The loud explosion near the rally venue triggered panic with the NC supporters including women running for security.

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Dr Farooq, who is the NC candidate from the Srinagar constituency, was addressing the rally at the time of the explosion.

He, however, pacified his supporters and the rally went on after a brief disruption.

“Let them use a thousand grenades. Farooq is not the one to get frightened. We will defeat them,” he told journalists later.

The state chief minister also addressed the rally.

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Hours before the NC rally at Magam in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and part of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency an explosion near the rally venue wounded 13 persons. The injured were evacuated to hospital for treatment.

Security is tight in the entire Srinagar parliamentary constituency which spans across three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal and is slated to go to polls on Wednesday.

The main contest in the constituency is between Dr Farooq Abdullah and opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s Tariq Hamid Kara.