Kashmir police forms special team to probe Amarnath Yatra attack

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a DIG-rank officer to probe the 10 July terror attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir. [caption id=“attachment_3801009” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Security persons stand guard after militants opened fire on the Amarnath Yatra in which some pilgrims were killed in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. PTI[/caption] “We have constituted the six-member SIT headed by South Kashmir deputy inspector general of police SP Pani for speedy investigation in this important case,” inspector general of police (Kashmir) Munir Ahmad Khan said. Other members include, Anantnag senior superintendent of police Altaf Ahmad Khan, a deputy superintendent of police, and other officers who will assist in the probe. Seven pilgrims were killed and 19 injured when their bus heading towards Jammu from Srinagar was attacked by militants at 8.30 pm at Batengo in Anantnag district on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway on 10 July. The bus was not registered with the Amaranth Shrine Board and had reportedly violated the travel rules. Soon after the attack, the Kashmir IGP had said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was behind the attack. “Initial investigation reveals it is a group of Lashkar militants headed by Abu Ismail of Pakistan, who carried out the attack,” the IGP had said.