Jammu pilgrim bus attack suggests new areas on terrorists’ radar

JAMMU: At least ten pilgrims were killed and over 30 others injured when their bus plunged into a gorge following a terrorist ambush near Teryath village in Reasi district of J&K around 6pm Sunday, police reported.

“The identities of the dead and injured have not yet been confirmed, but it is believed that the pilgrims are from Uttar Pradesh,” Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma said.

The bus was returning from Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra, a town known for the Vaishno Devi temple. It was travelling on a link road of NH144A, winding through thick forests and mountainous terrain.

“Prima facie, it appears terrorists were waiting for the bus,” SSP Sharma said. “The driver was hit by gunfire and lost control of the vehicle,” the officer said, noting that bullet shells were found at the scene. The injured have been taken to hospitals in Teryath, Reasi, and Jammu.

Local residents and authorities participated in the rescue operations, while a security sweep involving police, Army, and CRPF personnel was initiated to catch the attackers. The area, located 100km northwest of Jammu, has been cordoned off.

Initial reports indicate that two masked terrorists opened fire on the bus, hitting the driver.

According to 30-year-old Santosh, currently undergoing treatment in Reasi, a masked terrorist in military-style combat fatigue stood in the middle of the road and fired indiscriminately. “I could hear intermittent gunshots when the bus was rolling down the mountainside,” he said.

Union minister Amit Shah condemned the attack and expressed his condolences, tweeting: “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.”

Union minister Rajnath Singh called the attack on pilgrims “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,” he tweeted.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. “This shameful incident is the true picture of the worrying security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” he tweeted.

Sunday’s ambush suggests a spread of terrorist violence to new areas, as Reasi had remained unaffected by the recent spate of attacks in neighbouring Rajouri and Poonch districts. The Pir Panjal route, known for its arduous terrain, is frequently used by terrorists to infiltrate Jammu from the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri before moving towards Kashmir.

Sources suspect the involvement of former Pakistani army SSG commando-turned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Illiyas Fauji and two other terrorists from Pakistan, who have been on the run since the fatal attack on an IAF convoy in Poonch district on May 4.

According to Union home ministry data, eight civilians were killed in J&K in the first five months of this year up to May 31.

The last terrorist attack in Reasi was on May 13, 2022, when terrorists used “sticky bombs” on a bus carrying pilgrims from Katra to Jammu, resulting in four deaths and injuries to 13 others.

Sunday’s attack is reminiscent of the July 10, 2017, assault on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, in which seven were killed and 19 injured. On that occasion, the driver managed to save 52 passengers despite heavy gunfire.