Srinagar/Reasi: A massive operation is underway to apprehend those responsible for the deadly attack on pilgrims in Jammu’s Reasi that killed nine people, with officials saying that three foreign militants, possibly associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, were involved in the attack.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat said they have got some leads as 11 teams of police, military and CRPF are jointly working on two different axes to neutralise the suspected militants.
Based on the statements recorded by those injured in the attack, the officials said they have not ruled out the possibility of a fourth person being present at the spot who acted as a lookout for the three, officals said.
Survivors of the attack are recording their statements as part of the ongoing probe into the attack, while a thorough combing operation is underway to track down the perpetrators, the officials said, adding several persons were detained for questioning.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit, initially claimed responsibility for the attack but retracted its statement later.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha visited the injured in Jammu and Reasi hospitals and chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah have been briefed on the situation, with assurances that those responsible for the attack will face justice, Sinha said. “The attack is a despicable attempt to instigate turmoil in Jammu, but we are resolute in our commitment to safeguard the region,” Sinha said during a visit to the injured at the Government Medical College.
Acoording to details, among those killed in the attack are two-year-old Titu Sawhney and his mother Pooja from Rajasthan. They were among four people from the state who lost their lives in the attack. Three of the deceased were from Uttar Pradesh. The driver and the conductor of the bus, both from Reasi, were also among the victims.
The officials said five of the nine deceased had gunshot wounds. They added that 41 people were injured in the attack and 10 of them had bullet injuries. Some of those injured were undergoing treatment in hospitals across Jammu and Reasi districts.
Forces suspect the militants are hiding in the mountainous terrains of Rajouri and Reasi, and have intensified combing operations in the region.
“Operation is continuing for the second day and we are working on various inputs. Multiple teams have been formed to work on two different axes while the investigation part is also continuing simultaneously,” the DIG said.
Admitting that the area poses a challenge for the forces given the dense forest, lack of water sources, threat of forest fires, steep slopes and crevices that work as a natural hideout, the officer said that search parties are moving cautiously to avoid any casualty in case of contact with the militants.
Nine people were killed and 41 injured as the militants opened fire at the 53-seater bus, which was 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 of Reasi on Sunday evening.
The bus was ferrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Since the BJP-led Government of India abrogated the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, militant attacks in the Jammu and Pir Panchal regions have intensified. These recent attacks include: December 21, 2023: Four troopers were killed in Bafliaz on Mughal Road in Poonch district. April 27, 2024: One VDG member was killed in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district. May 4, 2024: One IAF personnel was killed in the Sani forests in the Surankote area of Poonch district. June 9, 2024: Nine people were killed in the Pouni area of Reasi district.