J&K: Atleast 6 injured in a blast in Bandipora

Srinagar: At least six people were injured in a blast at Sumo Taxi Stand, Sumbal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Tuesday.

It is being said that a convoy of the Army was on target. Of the five, two have been shifted to Srinagar for treatment, police said.

“Before the movement of the convoy, a blast occurred and injured six people, including a women. Two have been shifted to Srinagar Hospital and four are being treated in Sumbal,” police said.

The Bandipora area has been cordoned off after the blast.

Amit Shah’s visit to J&K

Yesterday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a gathering at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Monday. He had the bulletproof glass shield removed while talking to the people of the union territory, saying he wants to “speak to them frankly”.

“I was taunted, condemned… today, I want to speak to you frankly, which is why there is no bullet proof shield or security here,” Shah said. This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

He also hit out at National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah for seeking talks with Pakistan, saying the government would rather talk to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir for making it the most developed in the country.

“I read in newspapers that Farooq Abdullah has suggested that the government should talk to Pakistan. He has a right to his opinion but we would rather talk to the Kashmiri youth,” Shah said in his address.

“The repealing of Article 370 had only one intention – to put Kashmir, Jammu and newly created Ladakh (Union Territory) on the path of development. You will see the fruits of our efforts by 2024,” the home minister added.

Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated in August 2019 and the state was bifurcated into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.