8 injured in grenade blast at Srinagar's Lal Chowk

SRINAGAR: At least eight people, including a father-son duo and a CRPF sub-inspector, suffered minor injuries in a grenade blast near Palladium Cinema in busy Lal Chowk here today.

"Eight persons were injured when a militant lobbed a grenade near Palladium Cinema in Lal Chowk," a police spokesman said.

He said among the injured were a father-son duo -- Ghulam Nabi Nayak and his eight-year-old son Farooq Ahmad -- and CRPF sub-inspector Hari Ram Devakar.

"All the injured were shifted to a hospital where first aid was given to them," the spokesman said, adding, police and security forces have cordoned off the area.

SDPO Kothibagh Faisal Qayoom said police have started investigations and will be looking at the CCTV footage to track down the militant who lobbed the grenade.

This is first grenade attack in Srinagar city since militants made an abortive bid to attack an election rally in Khanyar during Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

The attack comes as electioneering for the Assembly elections in the city has started picking up. Polls in the city will be held in the fourth phase on December 14.