13 June 2004	Sunday	24 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

SRINAGAR, June 12: Four people were killed and 28 hurt in a grenade attack on Saturday on a popular tourist hotel in Kashmir, police said, just days before India and Pakistan are due to begin wideranging peace talks aimed at resolving their dispute over Kashmir.

"Militants today hurled a grenade at Purnima Hotel which exploded inside the dining hall," a police spokesman said, referring to a hotel in Pahalgam, in the centre of occupied Kashmir.

The blast occurred at 4.30 pm (1100 GMT) at a time when Pahalgam was teeming with visitors from all over India as well as weekend revellers from the Kashmir region, he added.

A lesser-known Kashmiri group, Al Nasereen, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, in a telephone call to the local Current News Service (CNS) agency.

"Indians have no justification in visiting a disputed area," the caller said, according to CNS officials. He also warned the group would carry out similar attacks, blaming tourists for "spreading obscenities".

Anand Sharma, spokesman for India's ruling Congress party, said the attack was aimed at "spreading terror" among tourists and came from "those who are not party to the negotiations nor do they endorse the process for the restoration of peace and normalcy".

"Such elements are in a minority and in fact isolated from the mainstream," Sharma said.-AFP