1 killed, 12 hurt in J-K grenade blast

Police said the blast did not cause any panic among the people present at the Chowk as children were bursting crackers to mark Id. In fact, the commuters could hardly differentiate real fire from cracker shots. Security has been beefed up in the city following the attack.

Meanwhile, security forces gunned down two ultras in an encounter in Doda district where unidentified militants set ablaze a hut of the Public Works Department since last night, official sources said.

Acting on specific information about the presence of militants, the Border Security Force (BSF) troops launched an operation in Dhamkund area of the district today, the sources said, adding in the subsequent encounter, two ultras were shot dead.

Two AK rifles along with five magazines and 100 rounds were recovered from the slain militants, whose identity is yet to be ascertained as the operation was in progress when the reports last came in, they said. Some unidentified militants set ablaze a PWD hut in Salda-Bunzwa area of Kishtwar tehsil last night, the sources said and added that there was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the incident.