Addressing a media gathering, works Minister Naeem Akhtar on Thursday broke down after an attack on his cavalcade in Tral township of Pulwama district in central Kashmir.

Three civilians were killed and thirty others, including seven CRPF troopers, injured in the attack that took place around noon while Akhtar’s cavalcade was moving through the town.

Akhtar broke down as he talked about those killed and injured in the explosion.

“It is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar,” Akhtar told media-persons at DSP office Tral.

“Two people have lost their lives. I won’t forget it my entire life,” he said.

The minister said that the attacker was neither a friend of Tral nor Kashmir. “He was not a friend of Islam too,” said Akhtar, adding that he wondered why they “chose this day (1st Muharram) to repeat Karabala.”

Guest