Jammu: Terrorists opened fire at a bus carrying pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Sunday evening, killing nine people and injuring 33, police said.
The 53-seater bus, en route from Shiv Khori temple to Katra, veered off the road following the gunfire and fell into a deep gorge. The incident took place around 6.15 pm near Teryath village in Poni area.
“Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 injured,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi, Mohita Sharma told reporters.
SSP Reasi said the bullet hit the driver of the bus after which he lost control and plunged into a gorge.
Talking to reporters at the incident site, SSP Reasi said that police had secured the Shiv Kohri incident but terrorists chose to attack the bus ferrying non-J&K pilgrims of Shiv Kohri on the highway.
“Initial reports suggest that terrorists fired upon the passenger bus going from Shiv Khori to Katra. Due to the firing, the bus driver lost the balance of the bus and it fell into the gorge. 33 people were injured in the incident and nine appear dead. The rescue operation has been completed. The identities of the passengers have not been confirmed yet, they are not locals. Shiv Khori shrine was secured and area domination was done,” she said.
“Prima facie it looks like terrorists were waiting for the bus and attacked it on the highway. The driver of the bus was hit by a bullet after which the bus rolled down into the gorge,” she said.
She said that the identities of the slain and injured are being ascertained. “It seems the pilgrims were from Uttar Pradesh. She said that the injured had been shifted to district hospital Reasi,” the SSP Reasi said.
Reasi district has been relatively untouched by terrorist activities compared to neighboring areas such as Rajouri and Poonch.
Meanwhile, a massive rescue operation was launched and security forces’ reinforcements also rushed to the spot.
