Blasts: bid to scare tourists
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, July 11
The serial grenade explosions in Srinagar are being visualised as an attempt of terrorists to cripple the economy of those connected with tourism by scaring away tourists.
Tourists were targeted by terrorists in different parts of the summer capital of the state today.
This was the second grenade attack within the past couple of days on tourists from Kolkata.
Two tourists from West Bengal were killed and 30 injured in a grenade attack on a bus in Srinagar on May 31.
A Maruti car bearing a Haryana registration number was also targeted during the serial blasts this afternoon.
Terrorists were most probably trying to hit the economy of the people connected with tourism in the valley, who had been expecting a boom in tourist arrivals this season.
Their dreams were shattered by such actions of Pakistan-trained terrorists.
Those connected with tourism had been the major victim of the 16 years of terrorism as tourists had stayed away.
This time, there was a ray of hope as most house boats and hotels in the valley had been booked in advance.
Tourists from West Bengal and Gujarat had been considered the backbone of middle-class tourism, but people from both places were repeatedly being targeted.
This had started telling upon the tourism season, with most house boats in the Dal Lake and hotels lying vacant.
A large number of tourists had got their reservation cancelled following the attacks last month.
Not many tourists were seen in the Mughal Gardens in Srinagar after the terrorist attacks last month.
The Amarnath pilgrimage had also been affected initially, but now, the number of arrivals had picked up again.
Pilgrims were targeted at the general bus stand here on June 12, when one person was killed and 31 injured.
Observers said terrorist activities had suddenly increased after the second round table conference in Srinagar.
Political activists had also been being targeted by terrorists, with five persons being killed in a grenade attack on the entourage of former minister Sakina Ittoo on July 8.
European countries had refused to oblige the Jammu and Kashmir Government by accepting its repeated requests for lifting the advisory to its nationals against visiting Kashmir.
Jammu University Vice-Chancellor Prof Amitabh Mattoo's efforts had yielded results, with the countries softening the advisory as far as travel to Jammu was concerned.
A team of parliamentarians from these countries had recently visited the campus, where they approved an exchange programme for teachers and students.
The Army and paramilitary forces had been put on maximum alert in the Jammu region following the attacks.
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway was under security cover and troops were guarding Katra and Vaishno Devi to thwart any attempt to disrupt the pilgrimage.
The highway was being opened after checking and each bridge and culvert was being checked for the possible planting of explosives.
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