1 dead, 15 hurt in grenade blast in Kashmir

One civilian was killed and at least 15 were injured in an explosion on Monday in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, local police said.

Local police said militants lobbed a grenade in a busy market area in Srinagar -- the capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- around 1.20 p.m. local time (0750GMT).

"Terrorists lobbed a grenade on civilians near HSHStreet [Hari Singh High Street] area in Srinagar. Information is preliminary in nature," the Kashmir police tweeted.

The Jammu and Kashmir police said three Indian border forces personnel were also injured.

Police identified the deceased as Rinku Singh of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Aijaj and Fayaz Ahmed, two local Kashmiris, were reported to be in serious condition, the police added.

The injured are undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

Indian forces have cordoned off the area to capture the assailants.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Today's blast is the first in Jammu and Kashmir since it was divided into two centrally controlled "Union Territories" as of last Friday, following India's revocation of the region's special status on Aug. 5.

Disputed region

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought two wars over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights groups, thousands of people have been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.