Srinagar, Aug 10: Stepping up attacks on security personnel ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, militants lobbed grenades at two BSF bunkers without causing any casualties, official sources said here today. Militants hurled a grenade at a bunker at Karan Nagar in the city, which fell on the roadside and exploded, they said.
Another grenade attack was reported in Aloocha Bagh of uptown Srinagar, the sources said. Both bunkers belonged to the 115 Battalion of the BSF. Sources said militants were stepping up attacks as, perturbed by indicators of return of normalcy, they feared largescale participation of people in this year's Independence Day celebrations.
They said security has been beefed up around vital installations throughout the state in view of the several intercepted messages of militants that they were stepping up attacks on security forces to dissuade people from participating in the Independence Day celebrations. Independence Day and Republic Day parades used to draw huge crowds in pre-turmoil days.
Inspector General of Police K Rajindra Kumar has said four groups of three militants each belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were in the city to carry out attacks ahead of the Independence Day.
Meanwhile, firebrand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a strike on August 15. Bureau Report