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At Least One Dead, 18 Wounded in Grenade Attack in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi (Sputnik): It's been three months since India stripped the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, thereby escalating tensions with Pakistan.
Sputnik

One person was killed and 18 people injured in a grenade attack on security forces in a market place in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The deceased is reported to be a vendor from the area.

This was the second grenade attack in the past fortnight in the same area of the city.  

Monday’s attack came when markets were open and traffic returned to normal in several parts of Srinagar, after three months of lockdown.

​Earlier, six security personnel on patrol duty were injured when they were targeted in Srinagar.

New Delhi abrogated Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution and divided the state into two federally administered regions in early August in order to divest the state of its special status. The move also saw several political leaders taken into custody.  

On 31 October, the Indian order to divide the state came into force and the state of Jammu and Kashmir officially "ceased to exist," as two new federally administered territories created.

Pakistan termed the move as “illegal” and scaled down its diplomatic and trade relations with New Delhi.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi justified India's move, claiming it helped eliminate the root cause of "terrorism and separatism."

"When a decision is right, its echo is heard across the globe. And I can hear it in Thailand as well," said Modi while addressing a gathering of the Indian community in Bangkok on Sunday.

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