Jammu: Nine people suffered multiple wounds in the twin blasts that rocked Transport Nagar in Narwal area of Jammu district on Saturday following which a security alert was sounded across Jammu.
The Transport Nagar is a busy place where a number of workshops, service stations, shops of mechanics, painters, and vehicle spare parts are located.
The twin blasts took place within a span of 20 minutes in two vehicles in the Yard Number 7 in Transport Nagar while the business there was as usual.
The workers were busy performing their routine activities, however, the explosions, one after the other, spread panic within no time.
ADGP Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh along with DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range, Shakti Pathak and SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli rushed to the explosion site and reviewed the situation.
Giving an account of the explosions, initially ADGP Singh confirmed that six people suffered injuries in the twin blasts.
“Around 11 am, an explosion took place in an already parked old Bolero vehicle in which five people standing nearby were wounded. All the injured are out of danger and have been hospitalised,” the ADGP said. “Following the first explosion, the area was being vacated. While the process was still on, a second explosion took place 50 meters away from the first explosion site in which one person suffered a minor injury.”
He said: “We have shifted the injured to the hospital. The investigation into the explosions has been started.”
Later, the Police confirmed injuries to three more persons who reached the hospital for treatment.
The injured have been identified as Sohail, 35, son of Muhammad Iqbal of Ustad Mohalla Jammu, Sushil Kumar, 26, son of Ramesh Kumar of Prem Nagar, Doda, Vishap Partap, 25, son of Babu Singh of Kanachak Jammu, Vinod Kumar, 52, son of Kaku Ram of Chak Bakhtawar in R S Pura, Arun Kumar of Qasim Nagar Bawe, Amit Kumar, 40, son of Gulshan Kumar of Bahu Fort Jammu, Rajesh Kumar, 35, son of Darshan Lal of Bawe Jammu, Abhishek Kumar, son of Darshan Lal of R S Pura and Aneesh, son of Mansa Ram of Bahu Fort.
Meanwhile, some people claimed that the second explosion allegedly in a sedan was powerful.
Fortunately, no life was lost in the explosions.
Soon after the explosion, panic gripped the area and people ran for their lives.
All the shops were also closed on the request of Police.
“The shops were closed and most of the people had left the area before the search operation. Army contingents, bomb disposal squads, forensic teams, sniffer dogs, and paramilitary personnel also reached the explosion sites,” a Police officer said.
The security forces before the start of Cordon And Search Operation (CASO) blocked entire Transport Nagar’s entry and exit points.
NIA, SIA TEAMS INSPECT SITES
The sleuths of State Investigation Agency (SIA) also reached the explosion site.
“The SIA team inspected the explosion sites and checked several vehicles damaged in the blasts,” the sources said.
They said that a team of NIA also visited the explosion site and inspected both the blast sites.
“They are likely to coordinate with other investigating agencies. After the inspection of the sites, both the SIA and NIA will prepare their separate preliminary investigation reports,” the sources said.
SECURITY ALERT SOUNDED IN JAMMU
Though no one was detained during the course of investigation, the sources said that an alert was sounded in Jammu and its adjoining areas and checking was intensified within the city.
“The vehicle checking was also intensified on and along the Jammu-Pathankot highway, Jammu-Srinagar highway, all roads leading towards Jammu and the border areas including Arnia in Jammu district,” the sources said.
In the wake of the Republic Day and the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by All India Ccongress Committee (AICC) leader Rahul Gandhi, which is likely to reach Jammu on January 23, security agencies have sounded a high alert in Jammu as well as in areas on and along the International Border (IB).
“The Border Security Force, J&K Police, VDGs, and intelligence agencies have been working in coordination to foil any subversive act. The security forces are keeping a vigil in Jammu, especially following inputs about terror outfits attempting to revive terrorism in the region,” the sources said.
EYEWITNESSES ACCOUNT
A welding worker, Sohail Iqbal, 35, son of Muhammad Iqbal of Ustad Mohalla was admitted at GMC Jammu hospital due to injuries he suffered in the explosion.
“I was doing wielding work on a vehicle when an explosion occurred nearby. I could not see anything following the explosion. It was a huge explosion,” he said.
Sohal said that he survived the explosion because he was in the vehicle.
“I suffered injuries on the upper body parts,” he said showing his wounds.
Those who sustained injuries were working outside the rented shop when the explosion took place.
Sohail’s friend, who is a painter by profession and is also a resident of Ustad Mohalla, told the media that he was working in front of his shop when the blast took place.
“Sohail belongs to Ustad Mohalla. He does denting work and I am a painter. I was in my shop when the explosion took place. We ran immediately for our lives. Rest we do not know what happened. However, we shifted Sohail to the hospital in our vehicle,” he said. “Police also reached the spot to evacuate people from the place.”
Another injured, a mechanic by profession from R S Pura, said that he was going to the service station when he fell due to the explosion.
However, he suffered minor injuries.
Yet another injured Aneesh said that he was standing outside the shop when he fell due to the huge explosion.
TRANSPORTERS’ CONCERN
Meanwhile, the transporters, who visit Transport Nagar for various works, have complained that the outsiders park their vehicles in different yards or along the roadside.
“These vehicles remain unnoticed and they have become a cause of trouble for all of us,” said a transporter wishing not to be quoted.