A grenade blast at Jammu bus stand today left one person dead and around 30 people injured. Soon after the blast two persons were said to be critical. The blast took place around noon.The grenade reportedly went off under a bus, said some reports.As per latest reports, one injured person has succumbed to injuries. At least 28-29 are injured and undergoing treatment. The injured were rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, and some are being operated for shrapnel injuries, said reports. The area has been cordoned off by the local police.This is said to be third grenade blast in the area in the past 10 months. Among the injured were bus drivers, conductors and some passersby.It seems that the grenade was lobbed from the outside, he further said. An eyewitness as saying that it was a 'big blast'. The locals helped the injured and escorted them to the ambulances, eyewitness said.The blast took place at SRTC bus stand in Jammu around noon. One injured person is said to be critically injured, said reports.According to official sources, the intelligence agencies had already received information regarding a grenade attack and three such inputs were found that the militants were plotting a grenade attack. They added that there are many inputs which suggest groups in Kashmir are trying to target Jammu.Today's attack seems well planned, further added.Speaking on the grenade explosion MoS Defence Subhash Bhamre said, "Local investigation has been initiated into the incident.
The government has already given complete liberty to the forces to take all necessary steps. Jammu Police has detained one suspect." According to sources he belongs to south Kashmir."It seems that the grenade was brought from outside and rolled under the bus," said MK Sinha, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu. The grenade reportedly went off under the bus, resulting in the shrapnel being contained to a smaller area, said the police.The scene of the blast along BC Road has been sealed off by police. Police have launched a massive hunting operation, with sniffer dogs and forensic experts rushing to the spot.The blast created panic among the people. Eyewitnesses said that a powerful blast took place and they were shocked to see people lying in the pool of blood.This is the third grenade attack by terrorists in Jammu bus stand since May 2019, viewed by security agencies as an attempt to disturb communal harmony and peace in the city.Earlier on December 28-29 2018, suspected terrorists carried out a grenade attack on the bus stand with the intention to target the local police station building, an attack which took place seven months after another grenade attack along the BC Road left two policemen and a civilian injured on May 24, 2018.Meanwhile, former Chief Minister of the state has condemned the attack and has called it an act of terror. (PTK)