The Hindu : Blast on eve of PM's visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

Blast on eve of PM's visit

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR APRIL 17. Three people were killed and several others, including some security forces personnel, were injured in various incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last night as militants stepped up attacks ahead of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's two-day visit.

Militants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Magam township on the Srinagar-Gulmarg road today injuring 17 persons, including a BSF jawan. All the injured were immediately shifted to hospital where two died later. One of them was identified as police constable Bilal Ahmed. The condition of some of the injured was stated to be critical. Police said the militants' target was a BSF patrol in the market and that the BSF personnel had fired several rounds in panic.

Meanwhile, unprecedented security arrangements have been made for the visit of Mr. Vajpayee, who arrives here tomorrow. The areas that Mr. Vajpayee is scheduled to visit have been sealed and declared out of bounds for the general public. These include the Airport Road and the Sonwar area where the Prime Minister will address a public meeting. Security forces have been deployed in strength and the random security checks have been intensified.

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