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In a rare attack on the Amarnath Yatra, terrorists killed seven pilgrims and injured 14 others, including policemen, when they struck at a bus in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantang district. The bus was attacked in Batengoo around 8.20 pm while returning from Baltal to Mir Bazar after the pilgrimage, Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF said. The militants also carried out two attacks on security forces in the area. Police sources said, the militants attacked a mini bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat. The bus was not officially registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board for the pilgrimage and was without police escort, they said. [caption id=“attachment_3798961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Seven Amarnath yatris were killed and 19 others were injured as a bus carrying pilgrims got caught in the way of a terrorist attack. PTI[/caption] Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said that seven pilgrims were killed, and 14 injured. The injured have been taken to the Army Base Hospital in Srinagar. Khan said the attack was aimed at the security forces and not the yatris. The last known terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra was the killing of 30 persons, mostly pilgrims, in the base camp in Pahalgam in 2000. A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board. In the national capital, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the incident. Union Home and Defence Ministry officials were huddled in a meeting to take stock of the latest situation. Prime Minister Modi tweeted: “Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone.” Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh condemned the attack. “It is not just an attack on the pilgrims, but an attack on the composite culture of the nation. As far as the Government of India is concerned, we have a policy of zero tolerance against terror, whether it is local or from across the border,” he said. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said: “It is an attack on our roots. We will not leave any stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice.” Senior minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led government Nayeem Akhtar termed the attack a “dark patch in the history of Kashmir”. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said: “The attack cannot be condemned strongly enough.” He added that such an attack was expected in spite of recent successes against militants by security forces. “The one thing we had all feared this year during the yatra. In spite of recent successes against militants and unprecedented force presence,” he tweeted. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed it “unfortunate”, and added that the militants will have to “pay through their nose”. He also spoke to the chief minister. Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the attack. The attack took place hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module with the arrests of two persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, authorities blocked internet services in the Valley. On Saturday, the Amarnath yatra was suspended from Jammu side due to law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley which was under curfew in the wake of the death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.
Amarnath Yatra attack highlights: Centre announces Rs seven lakh compensation for kin of those killed
A CRPF statement said the bus was not part of the official yatra and not registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board.
 "Amarnath Yatra attack highlights: Centre announces Rs seven lakh compensation for kin of those killed")
MoS Jitendra Singh and Hansraj Ahir meet injured in hospital
MoS PMO Dr.Jitendra Singh and MoS Home Hansraj Ahir meet the injured at SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar #AmarnathTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/LvnAJm73zm
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Bus driver says no security personnel intercepted them
Bus tyre got punctured 2 kms before the attack took place. No security personnel stopped us while we were repairing it: Salim
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
Subramanian Swamy demands President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir
Amarnath terror attack: Swamy bats for Presidential rule in J-K
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 11, 2017
Read @ANI_news story | https://t.co/Dvcu17XykN pic.twitter.com/7nTvv25GlE
Three counter-terrorism protests at Jantar Mantar
Protesters stand in solidarity with terror victims and request the government to not politicise the attack. They also questioned where were the youth who protested carrying placards of #Notinmyname earlier.
Centre announces Rs 7 lakh compensation for kin of deceased
Centre announces Rs 7 lakh compensation to next of kin of 7 #AmarnathTerrorAttack victims, Rs 1 lakh each for those injured
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 11, 2017
Mehbooba Mufti must go, her position has become untenable
Truth must be told. The heinous attack on Hindu pilgrims at Anantnag on Monday makes state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s position untenable. She must go. Mufti has shown a marked inability to administer law and order in the state – a basic requirement of any government – and her loosening grip over the administrative machinery is indirectly proportional to her desperation to stay in power. Read full text here .
France assures solidarity in face of terrorism
During their meeting in Paris on 3 June, 2017, French president Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the authorities had declared counter-terrorism to be a priority of our strategic partnership.
France condemns the attack that on 10th July claimed the lives of several pilgrims who were travelling to the Amarnath shrine: Statement
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
22,000 devotees start Amarnath pilgrimage amid high security
#AmarnathAttack: 22,000 people embarked for the pilgrimage on Tuesday amid stepped up security measureshttps://t.co/0r5v7h6ZqI
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
Shocked at Amarnath attack, says former defense minister AK Antony
Shocking; sad. Why did it happen when security forces are everywhere? Govt must explain: Former Defense Min AK Antony #AmarnathTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/76LNUhIp5k
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Mortal remains of terror attack victims brought to Maharashtra
Mortal remains of two #AmarnathYatra pilgrims who lost their lives, brought to Palghar in Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/TCVSFYQinl
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Thought crackers were being burst, says attack survivor
When 55-year-old Pallavi Abhyankar, who was in the bus that was attacked by terrorists in Kashmir on Monday night, heard the gunshots, her first impression was that crackers were being burst.
“I first thought they were crackers. It was only a few moments later that I realised the horror as I saw my fellow passengers hit by the terrorists’ bullets,” Abhyankar told PTI.
Read full text here.
Bus driver Saleem Sheikh, who saved many lives, returns home
Salim Shaikh, the bus driver who saved many lives, arrives at his home in Valsad @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/UP7qicmCRz
— Meghdoot Sharon (@MeghdootS) July 11, 2017
Terrorists had tracked down bus during halt
Sources told CNN-News18 that judging by the sequence of events, the bus was tracked down by terrorists after it stopped to get the tyre repaired. When the bus passed through the spot where terrorists had already taken their position, they opened fire on the bus. The assault lasted forty seconds.
President Pranab Mukherjee condemns attack
President Pranab Mukherjee asks J&K government, agencies concerned to ensure that those behind attack on Amarnath pilgrims are brought to justice.
Such senseless acts of #terrorism must be met with determination, collective action: Prez #PranabMukherjee on attack on #Amarnath pilgrims
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 11, 2017
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announces Rs 10 lakh for kin of deceased
CM Devendra Fadnavis announced Rs 10 lakhs each to next of kin of pilgrims from Maharashtra who lost their lives in #AmarnathTerrorAttack
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Amarnath yatra symbol of Kashmiriyat, attack condemnable, says Centre
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday hailed the people of Kashmir for their unequivocal condemnation of the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in the state’s Anantnag district.
When a Twitter user attacked the minister saying no one cared about “Kashmiriyat” at the moment, he stressed that “all Kashmiris are not terrorists”. IANS
Amarnath Yatra symbol of 'Kashmiriyat', attack on it condemnable: Centre
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 11, 2017
Read @ANI_news story | https://t.co/AYcynXj30m pic.twitter.com/tfsE2f4HZV
Attack on Amarnath yatris: High time supporters of Kashmiri radicals in India are taken to task
Condemnations across the political divide , both in Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi, of the ghastly terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatris on Monday, may give the impression that the age-old Kashmiryat is back in the state. But despite the empathy, there is a fear that it might be just another step towards the manifestation of the process of Islamisation in the Valley. Read full text here.
Attack on Amarnath pilgrims against humanity: Amnesty
Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India, said in a statement that the Jammu and Kashmir authorities must guard against any attacks, including reprisal attacks, which could lead to more civilian casualties.
“Shooting at a bus carrying ordinary people on a pilgrimage shows utter contempt for human life and the fundamental principles of humanity. Those behind this horrific assault should be found and punished,” he said. PTI
State govt to give Rs 3 lakh award to bus driver Saleem Sheikh
J&K Govt to give Rs 3 lakhs award to bus driver Saleem Sheikh #AmarnathTerrorAttack
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Amarnath pilgrim bus was part of convoy, says J&K report
In Anantnag, the Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted its report to the home ministry. The bus had been under attack twice. According to CNN-News18, the government has informed the MHA that the bus was part of the official convoy but had made an unscheduled stop because of a flat tyre without informing security personnels.
However, it is yet to be confirmed if the bus came under attack because it lagged behind. The driver managed to drive away after the first attack near Batengoo petrol pump but the second attack followed soon.
Around 18 hours after attack, situation remains critical in Kashmir
Latest Visuals from J&K, security tightened in Anantnag. #AmarnathTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/ZlfqUBofaa
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina condemns attack
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday denounced the “dastardly” terror attack that killed seven Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s pledge to work with India in fighting extremism. Read more here.
PM Sheikh Hasina writes to PM, condemns the dastardly #AmarnathTerrorAttack &conveys condolences of Govt & people of Bangladesh: MEA
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Why did the police fail to secure the route despite intelligence warnings about possible terror attacks?
Two days before the pilgrimage started, Kashmir inspector general of police Muneer Khan wrote a letter, warning of terrorists planning a “sensational strike” to target Amarnath pilgrims to whip up communal passions. He had specifically mentioned terrorists could fire at pilgrim vehicles; that is what happened in Botengoo village on Monday night.
Centre sends Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Jitendra Singh to assess the situation in Kashmir
Both state and Central government are on the same page and they are determined to meet this challenge together, says MoS Jitendra Singh.
#AmarnathAttack: “It’s an assault on the composite culture of Kashmir": Union Minister Jitendra Singh to @TanushreePande pic.twitter.com/nJg1a6l2q3
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
Why was the bus allowed to travel after sunset, a violation of standard operating procedure?
Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh admitted to lapses, and said officials would investigate why the bus was allowed to travel after 5pm. The security protocol for the annual pilgrimage bars vehicles from moving after sundown.
Meanwhile, Srinagar Civil Society plans to protest against the Anantnag yatra attack at around 5:30 pm in Srinagar.
Cabinet and security meeting chaired by Mehbooba Mufti
Cabinet and security meeting chaired by CM @MehboobaMufti in Srinagar (ANI)#AmarnathAttack pic.twitter.com/F6GxXxGflf
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
Was the bus registered with the Amarnath shrine board? If not, why?
Pilgrims and the vehicles they use have to be registered with the shrine board. Then how was the bus, which had a Gujarat number plate (GJ09Z 9976), allowed to ply? It is also unclear who owns the chartered bus, the sale of which to a new owner is said to be incomplete. There is also the question of how around 60 unregistered pilgrims visited the shrine, and no one noticed? The people who were attacked on Monday night had completed the pilgrimage two days ago and took a detour for sightseeing. The bus left the Baltal base camp, where security is tight, and moved on the heavily guarded national highway, apparently not being checked even once.
Driver of pilgrim vehicle recalls moments of attack
#AmarnathAttack: Bus driver Sheikh Salim recounts the moment when terror struck pilgrims
Read: https://t.co/PamgnsAKV5 pic.twitter.com/LQjSAfHXiS— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
State government discusses Amarnath attack
An emergency meet called by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is going on. Jammu and Kashmir government has announced Rs 6 lakh compensation for kin of each Amarnath pilgrim killed in militant attack; Rs 2 lakh for those grievously injured.
“The state government has decided to pay ex gratia compensation of Rs six lakh each to the victims of the violent attack in Anantnag last night. While seriously injured yatris will be paid Rs two lakh, those with minor injuries will be paid Rs one lakh,” officials said here.
US ambassador to India deplores attack on Amarnath pilgrims
We deplore the attack on #Amarnath pilgrims & condemn all acts of terrorism. Deepest condolences to the families & all those affected.
— U.S. Ambassador to India (@USAmbIndia) July 11, 2017
Srinagar tour and travel operators protest against attack on Amarnath pilgrims
Srinagar tour and travel operators protest against #AmarnathTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/DmlcunCnED
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Terrorists didn’t just kill pilgrims, they are killing Kashmir’s fragile economy too
“Beyond the shock of this tragedy, what can the Amarnath attack do to the state and its increasingly fragile economy, where (according to CAG) debt level has risen to Rs 55,358 crore at the end of 2015-16, close to five times of its tax and non-tax revenue. The frequent curfews, internet bans and travel restrictions have nearly paralysed the economic activities there. Already in shambles, the industry in the Valley is now almost stagnant.”
**Read full analysis here**Asadudding Owaisi condemns ‘heinous attack’, says country stands united
We cannot allow Lashkar and ISI to succeed. The country is united. This was a heinous attack: Asaduddin Owaisi on Amarnath Yatris attacked pic.twitter.com/sOgxqO8rce
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2017
Helpline numbers for Amarnath Yatra victims
Here are some helpline numbers for those affected by the #AmarnathYatra attack. pic.twitter.com/j2mpnEmJDS
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2017
Vice president expresses shock over attack on Amarnath Yatris
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Tuesday expressed shock at the “dastardly” attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said India remains united in the face of such attacks. “I’m shocked to learn of the dastardly terrorist attack on Amarnath yatra in Jammu and Kashmir which has resulted in loss of lives and injuries to pilgrims,” he said.
UP Assembly condemns Amarnath terror attack; Kanwar Yatra on high alert
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed a unanimous resolution condemning the terror attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims.
“We all condemn the attack on Amarnath pilgrims. The fight against terrorism is not of any particular state, we all should help in curbing it,” the chief minister said. The members condemned the attack as cowardly. After the incident, an alert has been issued in the state amid the Kanwar Yatra .
J&K deputy CM asks pilgrims to continue with their plans
Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh asked the pilgrims from across the country to continue with their plans of Amarnath pilgrimage, saying the state government was alert to the situation.
“I want to assure the nation that Jammu and Kashmir government is alert. We are not taking any chances,” Singh said. He appealed to people not to be deterred by the militant attack that left seven pilgrims dead in Anantnag. Singh said the government will investigate as to how the attack on the bus carrying pilgrims took place. — PTI
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