A NIA team has reached Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district and is coordinating with local police probing into the terror attack on a passenger bus that left nine people dead and several injured, officials said .
Meanwhile, security forces have also launched a massive cordon and search operation to track down the terrorists responsible for the attack. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team has reached Reasi and is coordinating with the local police probing into the attack, the officials said.
Terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus, on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, causing it to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge near the Teryath village of the Poni area on Sunday.
The bus was ferrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Officials said nine people, including a two-year-old boy from Rajasthan and a 14-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, died in the attack.
They added that 41 people aged between three and 50 were injured in the ambush. Of them, 10 suffered gunshot injuries.
A survivor of the Reasi terror attack, told ANI “After having darshan at Mata Vaishno Devi, I went to Shiv Khori. While returning from there, after 4-5 km, bullets were fired on our bus. The firing did not stop even after our bus fell into the ditch. The driver was shot and then some people were also injured in the firing…”
On the Reasi terror attack, SSP Reasi Mohita Sharma told ANI , “The militants fired upon the bus yesterday… 9 people are reportedly dead and 33 were injured and are being treated in different hospitals. As per eyewitnesses, 2 (terrorists) were there. Combing operation is underway in the area. 5 teams have been formed to search in the area.”
Leaders across party lines slammed the terror attack :
Amit Shah
Deeply pained by the incident of the attack on pilgrims in Reasi, J&K. Spoke to the Lieutenant Governor and the DGP, J&K, and inquired about the incident. The culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared and will face the wrath of the law.
The local administration is…— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) June 9, 2024
Rajnath Singh
The attack on the bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir is extremely reprehensible. My heart goes out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this heinous act against pilgrims. I also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) June 9, 2024
Mallikarjun Kharge , Congress president
Even while PM, Shri Narendra Modi and his NDA Govt get sworn in and heads of several countries are in the country, a dastardly terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims has resulted in loss of lives of at least 10 Indians.
We unequivocally condemn this gruesome terror attack…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 9, 2024
Sharad Pawar NCP ( SP)
Deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric and cowardly terrorist act in Udhampur, J&K.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) June 9, 2024
Rahul Gandhi, Former Congress president
जम्मू-कश्मीर के रियासी ज़िले में, शिवखोड़ी मंदिर से तीर्थयात्रियों को ले जा रही बस पर हुआ कायरतापूर्ण आतंकी हमला अत्यंत दुखद है।
यह शर्मनाक घटना जम्मू-कश्मीर के चिंताजनक सुरक्षा हालातों की असली तस्वीर है।
मैं सभी शोक संतप्त परिजनों को अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं और…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 9, 2024
Shashi Tharoor, Senior Congress Leader
बेहद दुःखद। जम्मू से वैष्णव देवीजी दर्शन के लिए जा रहे श्रद्धालुओं पर हुए आतंकी हमले में जिन मासूमों की निर्मम हत्या हुई है, उसके दृश्य भयावह हैं। भारत सरकार और उसकी सुरक्षा एजेंसी क्यों ऐसे हमलों को नहीं रोक पा रहा हैं !?
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 9, 2024
Omar Abdullah, National Conference Vice- president
Terrible news from Reasi in J&K where 10 yatris have reportedly lost their lives & many more are injured after a terror attack on a bus. I unequivocally condemn this attack. It is unfortunate to see areas that had previously been cleared of all militants see a return of… https://t.co/cNJ1FZ2lhP
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 9, 2024
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena ( UBT)
While we were busy with the oath taking of the new government, the coward terrorists chose to attack pilgrims in J&K. Heartbreaking.
Hope the government makes these terrorists and their backers pay a price that they will never forget and will deter them to even attempt this on… https://t.co/12QIrAeGM6— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) June 9, 2024
