Srinagar, March 6 : A person died and 34 others sustained injuries in a grenade blast at busy Hari Singh High Street market in this summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Officials said a grenade was lobbed by dentified militants on security forces at the Hari Singh High Street market, which exploded on the road, wounding 35 persons, including a policeman. The injured were shifted to Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, where one of the critically-wounded civilian succumbed to his injuries. The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Aslam Makhdoomi, resident of Makhdoom Sahab Srinagar. One of the injured girl, identified as Rabia, was stated to be critical. Earlier, police said that 25 persons were injured, including a policeman, while one of the injured succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Out of the 34 injured persons, nine have been discharged after providing first aid, health officials said. The security forces cordoned off the area and launched searches to nab the attackers. The market was crowded, as people thronged to make purchases in the weekly ‘Sunday Market,’ where thousands of vendors put their stalls on roads from the Tourist Reception Centre near Dalgate to Hari Singh High Street, selling all kinds of daily use products. “Today, a grenade attack took place in the market near Amira Kadal bridge at around 1620 hrs. In this act of terror, one old man from Nowhatta has succumbed to injuries, while one girl is critically injured and is battling for life. Also, 24 other persons including 23 civilians and one policeman have received splinter injuries, but are out of danger,” police said. Srinagar Police has also issued an advisory for the public. “In the light of the ‘terrorist act’ of grenade throwing in busy Sunday market near Amira Kadal bridge today evening, all civilians are required to be vigilant and report any suspected activity,” it said. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that Police was working hard for the identification and arrest of the criminal involved in today’s grenade attack. “We will smash this grenade throwing module at an earliest,” he said. He further said that Police have got some vital clues and the investigation was rigorously going in the right direction. Regarding the incidents, Police have registered cases under relevant Sections of law in respective Police Stations and investigations have been initiated, he added. Meanwhile, several political leaders have condemned the attack. “…Condemn this dastardly attack. People of J&K have been paying with their lives & sadly neither India nor Pakistan are doing anything to end the conflict & stop this bloodshed. My prayers are with the bereaved families & loved ones,” said former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet. “My thoughts and prayers are with those injured in the Hari Singh High Street grenade attack. Violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable to us. I unequivocally condemn this cowardly act of violence,” tweeted A i Party President Altaf Bukhari. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah also condemned the killing of a civilian and injuries to others in Srinagar grenade attack. They said, “Violence has no place in an emancipated world. Such incidents leave a trail of lifelong miseries behind them.” The former Chief Ministers impressed upon the administration to ensure the best of medical care to all the injured. Spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir t of Bharatiya Janata Party, Altaf Thakur termed the grenade explosion as a “barbaric and cowardly act,” and said that lobbing a grenade at a busy place was an act of frustration on part of the militants. “We are shocked at the extremely distressing news of a grenade attack at a crowded marketplace in Amira Kadal, Srinagar. We unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly attack, in which one civilian died, while many were injured. Violence in all its forms and manifestations brings countless miseries to the people and only adds to our collective suffering,” said Peoples Conference Chairman Sajjad Gani Lone in a statement here. QAB RJ