STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Violent clashes between PDP and National Conference workers erupted in South Kashmir’s Kulgam area after a grenade hurled at a PDP rally went unexploded near Gundwani, Norabad of this south Kashmir district.
A Srinagar based news agency reported that a grenade was hurled on Friday at a PDP rally led by the party candidate Abdul Majeed Paddar held at Gandwari area of Kulgam. Reports informed that the rally attended by thousands of people witnessed a stampede when a grenade hurled at the rally struck the roof top of one of the house and then went into the drain unexploded. The incident triggered chaos in the rally with people moving to the safer places. Reports informed the person who allegedly hurled the grenade was grabbed by the locals, identified later as Nowshad Ahmad Ganiae.
Later people took to streets with the shopkeepers downing their shutters. Some locals also raised anti NC slogans, accusing that the incident was actually triggered by the NC candidate of Noorabad.
Police and army later reached on the spot and took into custody the person who allegedly had hurled the grenade towards the PDP rally. DSP Kulgam Irshad Ahmad while inspecting the scene told that police is investigating the matter. Roads were also sealed by the forces later with the situation turning grim in the entire assembly segment. Police later destroyed the grenade which was lying in the rally scene since it went unexploded.
Later clashes between the national conference and PDP workers took place in the area and the situation remained tense for several hours.