ANANTNAG: At least seven Hindu pilgrims (Yatris) were killed when suspected militants launched an attack on a police patrol Monday evening in Anantnag town in volatile South Kashmir. Three policemen were also injured in the shoot out.
Yatris were returning from Srinagar and were headed to another pilgrim town Katra in Jammu region when their vehicle came under attack in Batengoo in Anantnag district at around 8.20 pm, police said.
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All the victims were from Gujarat, state chief minister Vijay Rupani told reporters. Five of the dead were women.
Police Control Room (PCR) Anantnag confirmed the killings and maintained that 16 other persons were injured in the firing. Four among the injured have been removed to Srinagar hospital while the rest are admitted in Anantnag hospital.
Police said that a bus, bearing number GJ-0929976, came under indiscriminate fire at Batnegoo along the Srinagar-Jammu Highway on Monday evening.
The bus, as per a police handout, was on way to Jammu from Baltal, one of the two routes of the Amarnath Yatra.
Amarnath victims had completed yatra two days back
It was the irresponsible act of the bus driver and its passengers that exposed the Amarnath pilgrims to the terror attack, PTI reported quoting top security officials.
The officials said the bus was neither registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board nor had it adhered to the security detail which is compulsory for the pilgrims in view of the terror threat.
Giving details on the basis of preliminary inquiries, the officials told PTI that the people on board the bus bearing the Gujarat registration number GJ09Z 9976 had completed the yatra two days back and were in Srinagar since then, deviating from the Amarnath yatra route which goes to Jammu.
Also, despite the sensitive security situation prevailing in Kashmir, the bus was on its way to Jammu at night, which is not permissible as it exposes the vehicles to terror attacks, they said.[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”20549″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
The bus came under terrorists fire near Khanabal in Anantnag district around 8.20 pm, over one hour after the patrolling by security forces on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway is wound up, the officials said.
All vehicles carrying Amarnath pilgrims are provided security cover when they move in a convoy but the security agencies had no information about movement of this particular bus, the officials said.
The normal timings for movement of vehicles from Pahalgam towards Jammu is in the forenoon as the authorities ensure that they leave Kashmir by 1 pm.
The officials said that in view of Mondays incident, the security measures will be reviewed further.
The 40-day yatra began on June 28 and thousands of personnel from the army, the BSF, the CRPF and state police have been pressed into service to ensure its security.
The last time the Amarnath yatra was targeted was on August 1, 2000. The militants had then struck in Pahalgam area, killing 30 people, who also included local Kashmiri porters.
Earlier in a letter sent to the army, CRPF and range DIGs, IGP Kashmir Zone Munir Khan had written, Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials.
The report said the security forces suspect the operation was carried out jointly by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. There were reportedly three assailants, and one of them, Ismail, arrived on a motorbike and emptied two magazines on pilgrims.
The Amarnath Yatra via Pahalgam in south Kashmir is the shorter route as against from Baltal via Sonmarg in Gandarbal district. However, for both routes, pilgrims have to travel through south Kashmir, which is simmering with anger against India and the security forces.
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Meanwhile Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack in a statement, saying: “This is an assault on our values and traditions which we hold dear. We will leave no stone unturned to root out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah also condemned the incident and said the attack on yatris tragic, terrible. His son, Omar Abdullah voiced the fears plaguing pilgrims this year.
R&B minister Naeem Akhtar said, ” First time pilgrims have been targeted and this is a dark chapter in Kashmir’s history.”
PM speaks to Mehbooba, assures help
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. PM Modi in a series of tweets said, Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.
PM Modi has also spoken CM Mehbooba Mufti and the Governor of J&K. He has assured all possible assistance required.
PM Modi also said, My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured. The terrorists also attacked a police party targeting a bus carrying the pilgrims. PM Modi said, India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & the evil designs of hate.
NC calls for Jammu bandh
J&K National Conference in an emergency meeting here Monday has decided to support the call for Jammu bandh tomorrow, said Mr. Devender Singh Rana, Provincial President of the party.
Unequivocally condemning the attack on the Amarnath Yatries the party in a statement said terrorism has no place in a civilized society. The statement further that said a terrorist has no religion; a terrorist is a terrorist and must be treated as a terrorist. The party appealed all to together fight and defeat terrorism.
The statement further said it is a nefarious design to vitiate the secular fabric of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and we all must unitedly work to thwart this conspiracy against Jammu and Kashmir and India.
The party has appealed to all to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state as well as in the country and not fall to the designs of the enemies of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
The party expressed solidarity with the families that lost their dearest ones in the terror attack and prayed for peace to the departed souls.
UP CM holds emergency security review meeting
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath tonight chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in the state, in the wake of a terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Adityanath convened the emergency meeting with the Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar, Director General of Police, Sulkhan Singh and ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar to take stock of the situation across the state.
He directed them to remain vigilant, especially in view of the ‘kanwar yatra’ that began today, and ensure safety and security of pilgrims participating in the month-long religious yatra.
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