Baramulla: A 52-year-old man was killed while three others sustained injuries after unidentified militants- disguised as a buyer- lobbed a grenade inside a Wine shop, located at Dewan Bagh area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday evening.
The deceased have been identified as Ranjit Singh, son of Krishan Lal (52), resident of J&K's Rajouri district.
The injured have been identified as Govinder Singh, resident of Kathua, Ravi Kumar son of Kartar Chand, resident of Khatua and Govind Singh from Rajouri district of Jammu division.
They said that the condition of one among the three injured persons, Govind Singh, is stated to be critical and has been referred to Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment.
The UT administration earlier in February this year ordered opening of 51 new wine shops in J&K including six in Kashmir valley.
The order came after three decades of halt due to the threats from militant groups in the early 1990s.
Militant outfits had back then launched a “crusade” against liquor in the valley and issued a ban on its consumption due to which many such shops were forced to shut.
A few, however, continued to remain operational in what are known as “safe-zones” around tourist places.
Meanwhile, the search operation has been launched in the area to nab the attackers.
Police also confirmed the death of one person among the four injured persons.
Police in a statement said that two militants riding on a bike stopped near the newly opened wine shop at Dewan Bagh Baramulla.
“The pillion rider wearing a Burka walked to the window of the said wine shop and threw a grenade inside the wine shop through the porthole window and thereafter fled away on the bike from the spot," the statement reads.
Senior police officers immediately reached at the spot while the area has been cordoned and search in the area is going on, police said, adding that a case has been registered in this regard under relevant sections of law and investigation is in progress.
Kashmir is a Muslim majority region and consumption of Alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islam.