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Jammu: In the first major strike on Vaishno Devi pilgrims, militants tonight (July 21) launched two grenade attacks in quick succession killing at least seven devotees, including a four-year-old child, and injuring 42, ten of them seriously, at Banganga, two kilometres from Katra on way to Vaishno Devi shrine, police sources said in Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Minister of state for Public Health Engineering Jugal Kishore told reporters that a grenade was hurled by militants at a large number of devotees who gathered for food at a community kitchen (langar) at around 21:15 hours.

Another grenade was lobbed ten minutes later near the community kitchen where pilgrims are served food on their way to and return from shrine, he said, adding seven people were killed and 42 injured in the attacks.

Three of the dead have been identified as Daljeet Singh (35), Harpreet Singh (20) and four-year-old Kulveer Singh (all from Punjab).

The Minister, who is the MLA from the area, said the security in the area was not strengthened despite his repeated pleas with the police administration.

Kishore said the seriously wounded people were moved to Jammu Medical College.

Security personnel in the entire Jammu division were put on high alert to prevent possible backlash following the militant strikes at Banganga, police sources said.

Minister of State for Home Chinmayanand said Pakistani intelligence agency ISI or Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba could be behind tonight's attacks aimed at arousing communal passions.

Such incidents, he said, take place whenever there are signs of improving relations between India and Pakistan.

Police estimate nearly 2,000 pilgrims were there near the community kitchen at the time of the blasts. Since a large number of devotees on their way to and return from the temple take food at the community kitchen, officials fear the casualty figure may go up.

This is the peak season for Vaishno Devi pilgrimage and on an average 15,000 devotees visit the shrine everyday.

Security along the entire route from Jammu to Vaishno Devi was recently beefed on the recommendation of a team of Union Home Ministry officials, which had visited the area in June.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said the attacks in Banganga were aimed at "derailing" the peace process between India and Pakistan.

PTI