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 led to the killing of two civilians and injuries to 30 others.
“It is really unfortunate that grenade was lobbed at our cavalcade when we reached Tral bazaar,” Akhtar said and added that tragic loss of innocent lives in this gory incident will always pain and haunt him.
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 while talking to them at DSP’s office in 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 the friends 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.”
Akhtar said unfortunately the incidents of violence like today’s grenade attack are only aimed at reversing the developmental process which was initiated in Tral area.
“People of Tral like other places too want dependable basic amenities and other facilities and they have every right to demand it from the government and elected representatives,” he said and urged the people of the area to see and analyse themselves for how much time such incidents can keep Tral out of bounds for development.
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