A security person stands guard as pilgrims leave for the Amarnath Yatra
A security person stands guard as pilgrims leave for the Amarnath Yatra  
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Amarnath Yatra Terror Attack: What We Know So Far About The Ambush That Left Seven Dead

BySwarajya Staff

On Monday night, terrorists riding a bike opened fire on a police vehicle and a bus ferrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, killing seven, including six women, and injuring 32 others. The attack was planned by a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist from Pakistan, police officials have said.

The bus bearing the registration number GJ 09Z 9976 was transporting pilgrims from Gujarat and came under attack at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal. According to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the bus had apparently broken down on its way and got separated from the convoy it was moving with.

According to a passenger, who was quoted by NDTV, people in the bus were sleeping when the firing started. “We don’t know how many people were there," he said. Of the yatris who lost their lives in the attack, two were from Valsad, two from Dharampur, two from Pardi and one from Vansda.

The bus was reportedly not registered with Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, that manages the yatra. However, Sanjay Patel, the reported owner of the bus, told the Indian Express that he had bought the permit for the tour.

According to the police and the state government, the bus had violated rules for the pilgrimage, which state that no yatra vehicle should be on the highway after 7pm as the security cover is withdrawn after that.

The bus that came under attack was not part of the official Amarnath Yatra convoy.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has said that the pilgrims injured in the terror attack will be airlifted to Delhi today. He also informed that the people who were injured in the attack are out of danger. Indian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft will carry the mortal remains of the yatris to Surat at 12 noon.

Divisional commissioner of the zone, Mandeep Bhandari, has said that the yatra will continue as normal from Jammu. "The yatra will not be disrupted and it will continue as per the plans tomorrow," he told the Press Trust of India. The next batch of pilgrims has left Jammu. The government has deployed three buses along with the vehicle to ensure no yatri is stranded in the case of a breakdown.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting is underway at Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence to take stock of the situation.

Also Read: Amarnath Yatra: Organising And Securing The Legendary Pilgrimage