GUWAHATI: Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 injured after terrorists fired on a bus carrying pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi, which resulted in the vehicle plunging into a gorge.
Due to the attack, the driver of the bus lost control and the bus fell into a deep gorge near Shiv Khori shrine in Jammu & Kashmir’s Reasi district, bordering Rajouri.
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“Today, a group of militants attacked a Yatri bus coming from Ransoo area of district Reasi. Due to the attack, the driver of the bus lost control and the bus fell into a deep gorge near Kanda area of Pouni. Due to the accident, nine people died and 33 others injured,” said Reasi senior superintendent of police (SSP), Mohita Sharma.
“It’s a clear case of terror attack. The area has been sanitised and a search operation has been launched,” she said.
The rescue operation was completed at the earliest and the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals, she added.
“The identities of dead and injured have not been ascertained yet but they probably belonged to Uttar Pradesh,” the SSP said.
According to locals, two militants wearing masks opened fire on the bus, hitting the driver and some passengers. While locals said three passengers had died of bullet injuries, and the rest in the bus crash, officials said this can only be confirmed after the post-mortem.
Police said the bus was ferrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra in Reasi district and came under attack in Teryath village in Pouni area of Reasi district, bordering Rajouri district, at about 6.10pm.
A statement issued by police said, ““The driver was hit and lost control, resulting in the bus sliding into the nearby gorge. With the help of local villagers, police evacuated all the passengers by 8.10pm. SP Reasi supervised the evacuation. The injured have been shifted to different hospitals-- District headquarter hospital Reasi (13), CHC Treyath (5) and GMC in Jammu (15).”
A joint security force temporary operation by Police, Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been set up at the site and a multidimensional operation has been launched to get at the attackers, it added.
ADGP Jammu tweets, " For any information or assistance the following numbers may be contacted. 01991-245639( District Emergency Control Room) PCR Reasi: 01991-245076) PCR Jammu: 0191-2542000 Also may call at the. : 9419839557."