Anantnag – Seven pilgrims, five of them women, were killed in Amarnath Yatra terror attack and 15 others were injured in Anantnag, the police said.
There is no confirmation on the death toll yet with the CRPF claiming that six people have died in the attack, while the J&K police said that seven people are dead.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the injured yatris at a hospital in Anantnag, where they were admitted.
Speaking to the media, she said:
The terrorists have tainted the name of Kashmiris and Muslims. We hang our heads in shame. I have no words to condemn this, I hope those involved will be arrested and punished soon. We will not rest before they are punished.
At 8:20 pm, the terrorists attacked an armoured car of the police, an official said. When the police fired back, the attackers fled, firing indiscriminately, the official added. A bus carrying yatris was on the highway when the incident occurred.
Terrorists first attacked on the combined NAKA of STF, SOG and CRPF at 20:15 hrs at Khannabal and ran away towards Batingu. They then attacked the pilgrims who were in a bus (GJ 09 J 9976) at Batingu and escaped towards Arwani.
While escaping militants fired upon the camp LoC of G/90 Battalion located at Arwani.
The pilgrims are reportedly from Himmat Nagar town in north Gujarat, The Times of India reported.
“In the firing by terrorists, seven people, five of them women, were killed, and another seven injured,” the official said.
Eye-witnesses who were traveling in the bus said the terrorists fired at the bus from both sides.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Condemns Attack
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack and said that he was “pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.”
My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 10 July 2017