Srinagar/Sept,21: Minister Naeem Akhtar on Thursday broke down as he addressed reporters after an attack on his cavalcade in Tral township of Pulwama district in central Kashmir.
Three civilians were killed and thirty others, including seven CRPF troopers, injured in the attack that took place around noon while Akhtar’s cavalcade was moving through the town.
“It is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar,” Akhtar told media-persons at DSP office Tral.
Akhtar broke down as he talked about those killed and injured in the explosion.
“Two people have lost their lives. I won’t forget it my entire life,” he said.
The minister said that the attacker was neither a friend of Tral nor Kashmir. “He was not a friend of Islam too,” said Akhtar, adding that he wondered why they “chose this day (1st Muharram) to repeat Karabala.”
He said that forces showed “lot of restraint” when asked if an enquiry would be ordered to probe allegations of “indiscriminate firing” by forces on civilians after the attack.
“We need to introspect. We were moving smoothly. Forces also respond (to situations) as lives of so many people were at stake (after the attack). And I don’t think anyone died of bullet injury. So I think forces showed lot of restraint. Every day people trade allegations on them (forces). But I think without them (forces), there will be chaos all around.”
