New Delhi/ July,11: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today called a high-level meeting to review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the killing of Amarnath pilgrims.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, top officials of the home ministry, intelligence agencies and central paramilitary forces are attending the meeting.
The meeting will take stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, security of Amarnath pilgrims and how to prevent such possible attacks in the future, official sources said.
A high-level central team led by Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir will also visit Jammu and Kashmir to assess the security of the pilgrimage to the high altitude cave shrine located in the Himalayas.
Director General of CRPF R R Bhatnagar has already reached Srinagar to review the deployment of the central forces in the pilgrimage route.
He will also attend a security review meeting convened by Governor N N Vohra in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for airlifting of the bodies of the victims of yesterday’s attack to Gujarat.
On Monday night, seven pilgrims — six women, one man — were killed and 19 others injured when an unescorted bus carrying pilgrims from Gujarat was caught in cross-fire at Khanabal, Anantnag district on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
The victims were travelling in the bus which was neither part of the escorted yatra convoy nor registered with the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
“The attack occurred at 8.20 p.m. All yatra movement which is protected by the security forces on the highway stops at 7 p.m. after which no movement of pilgrims is officially allowed,” said a senior police officer.
The ill-fated pilgrims had performed the yatra and had boarded the bus at Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district.
The officer said the militants first attacked a police bullet proof bunker at Khanabal and later a police check point.
“After retaliation from the police, the militants started firing indiscriminately. The bus of pilgrims, according to police, was caught in the ambush,” a police spokesman said.
