7 Amarnath pilgrims killed in terror attack in J-K''s Anantnag
Tribune News Service
Srinagar/Anantnag, July 10
Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 13 others injured, including policemen, on Monday when a bus of yatris was caught in a crossfire between militants and a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantang district.
All yatris hailed from Gujarat, DGP SP Vaid said.
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A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.
Troops of 90 Battalion and 40 Battalion of the CRPF have rushed to the spot.
The Jammu-Srinagar highway has been closed for traffic after the attack.
Reacting to the attack on Amarnath yatra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K.”
Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks & evil designs of hate, PM Modi tweeted.
He added that he has spoken to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N N Vohra and assured all possible assistance required.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, too, called up the J&K Chief Minister and Governor over terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims.
The attack took place hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Toiba module with the arrests of two persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Visuals from Anantnag attack site: 2 Amarnath yatra pilgrims killed, many injured after terrorists attacked their bus in Batingu(J&K)
— ANI (@ANI_news)
Senior minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government Nayeem Akhtar termed the attack a "dark patch in the history of Kashmir".
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was quick to react and said: "The attack cannot be condemned strongly enough."
Every right thinking Kashmiri must today condemn the killing of the Amarnath yatris and say, unequivocally - this is
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar)
He added that such an attack was expected in spite of recent successes against militants by security forces. "The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence," he tweeted.
We strongly condemn the terror attack on Amarnath Yatris and armed forces personnel
— INC India (@INCIndia)
On Saturday, the Amarnath yatra was suspended from Jammu due to law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley which was under curfew due to the death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.
HM spoke to Governor & CM of Jammu & Kashmir regarding the attack on Amarnath Yatris. They have apprised him of the ground situation.
— HMO India (@HMOIndia)
The yatra had began in the backdrop of an intelligence warning of a terror attack, which prompted the authorities to mobilise the "highest level" of security measures, including satellite-tracking. — With agencies
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG)I share the pain & anguish of families who lost loved ones in the terror attack on innocent Amarnath Yatris today
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG)
Terrorist attack on is the most reprehensible act. My condolences to the bereaved families.(1/2)
This is a grave & unacceptable security lapse. The PM needs to accept responsibility and never allow it to happen again
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley)
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