Srinagar: Nine pilgrims lost their lives and 33 sustained injuries after terrorists fired upon a bus carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi, causing the vehicle to plunge into a gorge.
“We received reports that militants were lying in wait and they fired on the bus, which had left Shivpuri and was on its way to Katra. As a result, the driver lost control, and the bus fell into a gorge. The rescue operation has been completed – nine people are dead, and the 33 injured have been hospitalized. The people (in the bus) are not locals, but their identities are yet to be confirmed. So far, we’ve learned that they may be from Uttar Pradesh,” said Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohita Sharma.
Asked about inputs regarding militant activity in the area, she stated, “Whenever there’s an incident of militancy, we are on high alert… The Shivpuri shrine had been secured, and in adjoining areas too, we had been conducting area domination activities.”
The SSP, along with senior civil and police officials, including Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Pal Mahajan, were at the spot. Police and security forces were also conducting a search operation there, officials said.
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According to locals, two militants wearing masks opened fire on the bus, hitting the driver and some passengers. While locals reported three passengers died of bullet injuries and the rest in the bus crash, officials said this could only be confirmed after post-mortem.
The victims, after visiting Shiv Khori – a Lord Shiva shrine near Ransoo – were on their way to Katra town, acting as a base camp for those visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Trikuta Hills.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated he had spoken to the Lieutenant Governor and the J&K DGP, expressing concern over the incident. “The culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared and will face the wrath of the law,” he assured.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences for the lives lost in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir and offered prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attack online, highlighting the continuous threat of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir despite claims of peace and normalcy.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi echoed similar sentiments, stating the incident reflects the concerning security situation in the region.
This terrorist attack in Reasi’s Pouni area, near the adjoining Rajouri district, marks the second such targeting of pilgrims in the district. In May 2022, four Vaishno Devi pilgrims were killed and 24 injured when a bus from Katra to Jammu caught fire due to a bomb planted by terrorists.
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Since 2021, militant attacks in Rajouri and Poonch districts have claimed the lives of 38 soldiers and 11 civilians.
