A team from the National Investigation Agency has reached Jammu and Kashmir to probe the terror attack on a bus in Reasi, Jammu. Lashkar-e-Tayyiba-backed The Resistance Front has taken responsibility for the attack in which 10 persons lost their lives and 33 persons suffered injuries
An NIA team has reached Reasi to assist police in the ongoing probe and assess the ground situation, ANI reported. The national agency’s forensic team has also reached the place to aid in evidence collection from the incident site.
Pakistan-based LeT’s front TRF took credit for the attack on Sunday. According to reports, TRF took credit for the attack to show that the strike was done by homegrown terrorists and not by Islamists from across the border, Hindustan Times reported.
The Indian Army and other security personnel have launched a search operation for terrorists involved in the attack. The search operations are helmed by the Indian Army, with the aid of the State Disaster Response Force members. Drones have been deployed to comb through the nearby forests where the terrorists are suspected to be hiding.
The bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi plunged into a deep gorge after an ambush by terrorists. The militants opened fire at the bus when it was en route from Shiv Khori temple to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Teryath village in the Poni area. The bus, a 53-seater, veered off the road and plunged into the deep gorge following the gunfire at around 6:15 pm.
The attack was deliberately carried out on the swearing-in day of the Modi 3.0 regime and around 12 jihadists were involved in the attack, the publication reported. The perpetrators moved into Rajouri-Poonch forests in groups of three or two in the Jammu region, it said.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condoled the attack and announced solatium for the families of the deceased. “An ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakh to be given to the next of kin of pilgrims martyred in Reasi terror attack. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000. The injured pilgrims are being treated at different hospitals in Jammu and Reasi,” the LG tweeted.
Sinha added, “Control room has been created by the district administration to provide all necessary assistance. A joint security force temporary HQ by J&K Police, Army and CRPF has been set up at the site and operation is in progress to neutralise the perpetrators of Reasi terror attack.”
-with inputs from Tariq Bhat.
