June 9th 2024.
On a serene Sunday evening, a horrific incident took place in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. A group of terrorists targeted a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh on their way to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. The bus, which had departed from the Shiv Khori temple, was carrying 53 passengers when it fell into a deep gorge after coming under heavy gunfire at around 6:15 pm.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohita Sharma, the attack was a result of an ambush by the terrorists. The driver, who was caught off guard, lost control of the vehicle and it plunged into the gorge. The rescue operation, carried out with utmost urgency, revealed that nine people had tragically lost their lives while 33 others were injured. The injured were immediately taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Although the identity of the deceased is yet to be confirmed, initial reports suggest that they were all from Uttar Pradesh. Sharma also mentioned that the area where the attack took place had been frequently patrolled and secured by the police in recent days. In fact, the Village Defence Guards had also been put on high alert as a precautionary measure.
This attack has come as a shock to the people of the region, as the Reasi district had previously been spared from such acts of terror unlike its neighboring areas. As news of the incident spread, locals rushed to the scene to help the victims. Eyewitnesses shared harrowing stories of the attack, with one survivor recalling how the bus was relentlessly shot at before plunging into the gorge. Another witness described seeing a masked attacker firing at the bus.
The injured were taken to Teryath Hospital for treatment where one of the survivors, from Banaras, shared his account of the attack. He revealed that the bus had left later than its scheduled time and was suddenly ambushed by the terrorists. Jammu and Kashmir police spokesperson confirmed in a statement that the bus, which was en route from Shiv Khori to Katra, was targeted by terrorists using firearms in the Pouni area of Reasi district.
The bus driver, unfortunately, was hit and lost control of the vehicle, resulting in the tragic incident. With the help of local villagers, the police were able to evacuate all the passengers by 8:10 pm. The injured were then referred to different hospitals, with some being taken to Reasi, CHC Treyath, and GMC in Jammu for treatment. A joint operation by the police, army, and CRPF was launched to locate and eliminate the attackers.
The incident has once again highlighted the ongoing threat posed by Pakistan-based terrorist groups who are constantly trying to incite violence and revive militancy in the Jammu region. The Deputy Commissioner of Reasi, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, joined the search and rescue efforts at the scene. Security forces from Reasi and Rajouri were also mobilized to conduct a comprehensive search and eliminate the terrorists responsible for this heinous act.
In response to the attack, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has strongly condemned the terrorists and demanded strict action against such groups. They have also called for the complete sanitization of the region to ensure the safety of the people. This is the second time in the past three decades that terrorists have targeted a pilgrim bus in Jammu and Kashmir. The previous incident took place in July 2017 when a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims was attacked in Anantnag district, resulting in the death of seven pilgrims and injuries to 19 others.
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