Jammu: An explosion took place near Jammu bus stand at about 12.15 pm on Thursday. Police said that 18 people have been injured in the blast and have been shifted to a hospital. IGP Jammu Manish Kumar Sinha said that the police are following leads. Early visuals from the blast site also showed damaged vehicles. The area has been cordoned off, and assessment is currently underway- Jammu police said in a briefing. 

The bus stand is located at the heart of Jammu city and people have been asked to stay away from the spot. Police officials are on the spot and are inspecting the blast site. The blast comes on the backdrop of the unrest in the state against the February 14 Pulwama terror attack. The state has been on a high alert in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack that also triggered an escalation between India and Pakistan.

Times Now reports from the blast site:

- IG Jammu Manish Kumar Sinha said that police are following leads to investigate the matter. The injuries were caused due to splinters, he said.

- "The grenade was thrown from outside. It possibly rolled beneath the bus before the blast. 18 people have been injured," a senior police official said at the briefing.

- Latest visuals from the Jammu bus stand blast site. Five injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

- "According to eyewitnesses, five people were standing at the site when the explosion took place. "We thought that it was a tyre burst, but soon it was realised that it was a blast," one of the eyewitnesses told Times Now channel.