Union minister Rajnath Singh called the attack on pilgrims “extremely reprehensible”. “My heart goes out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this heinous act against pilgrims. I also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he tweeted.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. “This shameful incident is the true picture of the worrying security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” he tweeted.
Sunday’s ambush suggests a spread of terrorist violence to new areas, as Reasi had remained unaffected by the recent spate of attacks in neighbouring Rajouri and Poonch districts. The Pir Panjal route, known for its arduous terrain, is frequently used by terrorists to infiltrate Jammu from the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri before moving towards Kashmir.
Sources suspect the involvement of former Pakistani army SSG commando-turned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Illiyas Fauji and two other terrorists from Pakistan, who have been on the run since the fatal attack on an IAF convoy in Poonch district on May 4.
According to Union home ministry data, eight civilians were killed in J&K in the first five months of this year up to May 31.
The last terrorist attack in Reasi was on May 13, 2022, when terrorists used “sticky bombs” on a bus carrying pilgrims from Katra to Jammu, resulting in four deaths and injuries to 13 others.
Sunday’s attack is reminiscent of the July 10, 2017, assault on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, in which seven were killed and 19 injured. On that occasion, the driver managed to save 52 passengers despite heavy gunfire.
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