SRINAGAR: Unidentified assailants threw Molotov cocktails at the private residence of Jammu and Kashmir’s education minister and spokesman of the State government, Syed Naeem Akhter Andrabi, at Parray Pora along the Srinagar airport road on late Monday night.
Police said that no one was hurt as one of the ‘petrol bombs’ fell in the house compound and the other outside the premises. In fact, no one lives in the house as Mr. Akhter shifted to an official bungalow in the high security Gupkar Road here after becoming a minister in the PDP-BJP government in March 2015.
Mr. Akhter was not available for comment but police officials said that it was a serious incident as it took place in an area which has remained comparatively peaceful during the past over three weeks when the Kashmir Valley witnessed the worst spell of turbulence following the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahedin commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
Protests and clashes between irate crowds of youth and stone-pelting mobs and the security forces continued for the 25th consecutive day but these were restricted to fewer areas. Nine persons were injured in clashes at Imam Sahib in southern Shopian district.
Meanwhile, separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has asked Pakistan to provide medical assistance to over 200 Kashmiri youth who have suffered eye injuries and scores others faced with risk of limb loss after being hit in pellet and rifle firings during the ongoing unrest in the Valley.
