Ten pilgrims were killed and at least 33 others injured on Sunday when a bus carrying them to a Hindu shrine in Jammu and Kashmir was fired upon by suspected militants. The incident occurred in the Reasi district, where the driver lost control of the vehicle after the attack, causing it to swerve off the road and plunge into a gorge.
Rescue operations are complete, but a search is underway by Indian security forces to apprehend the attackers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the situation and has ordered the best medical care to be provided to the injured.
“All those behind this heinous act will be punished soon,” said Manoj Sinha, the region’s Lieutenant Governor, in a message posted online.
The targeted bus was headed for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials suspect militants were involved.
Kashmir, a disputed territory claimed by both India and Pakistan, has a long history of violence. Since 1989, an insurgency seeking independence from Indian rule has claimed thousands of lives. India accuses Pakistan of supporting these militants, which Pakistan denies.
This attack comes just as Prime Minister Modi began his third term in office. The identities of the passengers are still being confirmed, but they are believed to be from Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
Several prominent figures expressed their condolences and outrage over the attack.
Amit Shah, who served as the home minister in Prime Minister Modi’s previous administration, conveyed his sorrow regarding the event.
“The culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared and will face the wrath of the law,” he posted on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
Rahul Gandhi, the head of the primary opposition party Congress, raised concerns about the area’s security status.
“This shameful incident is the true picture of the worrying security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,”
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.
Source BBC NEWS
