Author: Nazir Masoodi & Tariq
Bhat
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: October 2, 2001
Introduction: Suicide bomber rams
explosives-laden vehicle into Assembly main get
Srinagar, October 1: IN the first
such devastating attack on the seat of the Jammu and Kashmir government,
a suicide bomber rammed a Tata Sumo packed with explosives right into the
main gate of the heavily fortified Assembly building here killing 26 people
in the blast.
The militant was killed instantly
while two of his colleagues sneaked into the building and were killed after
a prolonged encounter with security personnel during which a portion of
the complex caught fire.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad, the group
floated by Pak-based Maulana Masood Azhar, said it was behind the attack
and even identified the bomber as Wajahat Hussian of Pakistan's North West
Frontier Province.
The incident occurred soon after
the Assembly session had adjourned and the road in front was opened to
the public at 2 pm. An official spokesman said that among those killed
were 11 security personnel-from the police and the BSF-12 civilians, a
traffic constable and two women college students.
Among those killed were six employees
of the Assembly Secretariat including the Deputy Secretary and an Under
Secretary of the Legislative Council.
The two militants, who entered the
Assembly Secretariat, exchanged fire with the joint operation group of
various forces until late in the evening. At 7.30 pm when they killed two
BSF personnel, the troops stepped up the offensive. The building caught
fire after an explosion and the two are believed to have been killed in
the blaze.
A red alert has been sounded across
Kashmir with the Army closing down the Srinagar-Jammu Highway from Sonawar
to Pantha Chowk, the five-km stretch where the 15 Corps headquarters is
located. Official sources said that all MLAs are safe. Law and Parliamentary
Affairs Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Assembly Speaker Abdul Ahad Vakil
and 12 legislators were evacuated even as the encounter went on.
Srinagar has seen many scenes of
violence and death but this was on a scale not seen in recent times. The
road outside the Assembly was splattered with blood, the injured lay crying
in pain. They were evacuated to the hospital while security personnel picked
up shreds of those who had been charred. Dozens of buildings around the
Assembly, including the seven-storied Jehangir Hotel, were also damaged.
Several senior officers had a narrow escape. The killed included the personal
security officer (PSO) of Director General of Police A K Suri.
''The Sumo rammed into the gate
and a bunker manned by the CRPF, I saw how it was blown up. I retrieved
three bodies of CRPF men from the bunker. Soon after the blast two militants
who were in khaki hurled grenades inside the gate and ran towards the Assembly
Secretariat,'' said Nazir Ahmad Ganai, a Sub officer in the Fire Service
Department.
Fire Services Director, Ghulam Ahmad
Bhat, who was also present at the scene recalls a person whose legs had
been blown away. ''He was crying for help. I saw 14 bodies including that
of a woman lying on the road. Soon after this blast, there were eight blasts
inside the Assembly premises,'' Bhat said.
Minister of State for Home Kahlid
Najib Soharwardy said that since the session is on Wednesday, they have
yet to decide whether to shift the venue. He said the Jaish-e-Mohammad
was involved in the attack.
Dipender Kour, Member of the Legislative
Council said she saw two militants in police uniform, training their guns
outside the office of the Secretary, Legislative Council. ''They saw me
but did not fire at me. They resorted to firing in the other direction
and ran inside. I saw two bodies outside the Secretary's office,'' she
said.
Another MLC, Major Gen (rtd) G.
S Jamwal, said he saw four bodies lying outside the office of the Deputy
Chairman. Incidentally, Jamwal had just raised a question in the House
related to the rise in militancy after the Agra summit saying there was
no specific method to counter militancy.
