Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on October 17 denied that the militant strike near the Chief Minister's residence was aimed at Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, describing it as an attack on security forces.

"This is in no way an attack on the Chief Minister's residence. The militants hurled a grenade at security forces near the Ali Jan shopping complex in which some casualties occurred," government spokesman K B Jandial, who is accompanying the Chief Minister to Aligarh, said.

He said Sayeed left for Aligarh at 07:30 hours (IST) to attend the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, and, therefore, the attack could not be aimed at the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, al-Nasireen militant outfit, which is behind several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since last year, and unknown Farzandan-e-Millat on October 17 claimed responsibility for the attack on Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's official residence.

Al-Nasireen and Farzandan-e-Millat jointly carried out the attack on the residence of the "puppet Chief Minister", an al-Nasireen spokesman identifying himself as Syed Wajid Ali said.

Vowing to carry out more attacks on government establishments, he said, "Now our strategy will be different."

PTI