SRINAGAR: The director-general of Jammu and Kashmir police J.N Saksena and four senior security officers were injured and a head constable was killed in an explosion in the DGPs office here.
An indefinite curfew was imposed and the Amy called out in Srinagar after the blast at the police headquarters believed to have been caused by either a missile or a bomb.
Various militant outfits including the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (SKLF) and the Hizbul Mujahideen have claimed responsibility.
At 12:15 p.m the officers were discussing security arrangements for the Republic Day celebrations when the blast brought down the roof of the second floor office. The officers were caught under the debris.
A part from Saksena those injured were the additional DGP and BSF inspector-general Ashok Patel the CRPFI-GK.K Singh the]-G (law and order) Veerana Aivelli and the deputy I-G (Kashmir range) Rajan Baksi. They were rushed to Army Hospital.
CONDITION CRITICAL: The condition of Singh and Divelli was critical while the others were also in a serious state police sources said.
The deceased head constable Hohammac Amm was serving as an orderly at the meeting.
The DGPs office was extensively damaged. There were glass splinters and bloodstains in the corridor and on the stairs.
An official who had left the police headquarters a few minutes before the incident believes that the explosion was set off by a timing device. However other officers were of the view that it was a missile attack.
The police headquarters caught fire after the explosion. However it was soon brought under control.
CRISIS PANEL: A crisis committee headed by the additional director-general of police (intelligence) Amar Kapoor, has been constituted.
Agencies add: The governor Girish Saxena airdashed to Srinagar after hearing about the incident.
Immediately after his arrival there from Jammu the governor visited the Amy hospital.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 7, 1992
