SPRINAGAR:A general strike which paralyzed the entire city was observed on August 15 the independence day of India,
A series of bomb blasts, violence and an attempt to blow up. the home of the district Congress I Chief Mohammad Shafi Qureshi were the main events which left at least 50 people injured, four seriously.
In Anantnag, police lobbed teargas shells and baton charged a mob which was throwing stones. At least 25 persons including policemen were injured.
In Srinagar there was a big bomb blast under the hand cart of a vegetable vendor in the thickly populated Dabba Kadal locality. At least 15 persons were injured. The condition of the vendor and three others including a child was reported to be critical. The blast which occurred at 6 am. has caused panic in the city which had) been threatened by a campaign for civil curfew by the forces fighting for an independent Kashmir.
The block development office in Patton Nayar was damaged in a blast. Other blasts occurred in the Dal Lake locality in Sri Nagar and near the house of a local National Conference leader. No causalities have been reported.
A jeep was destroyed the bomb exploded at M. S. Quereshi’s Ralwapora colony house in Sri Nagar.
Qureshi was in Delhi at the time of the incident. Shops and business establishments and hotels were closed down in both uptown and downtown localities in Nagar for the first time in the recent months. All modes of public transport including taxis were off the road. The state owned SRTC bus service cancelled most of its long distance services.
There was a poor attendance at the Independence Day function held at Bakshi Stadium which was provided by State Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 18, 1989
