Srinagar: A massive hunt has been launched in the Kashmir, particularly in south valley to nab the militants responsible for the attack on a yatri bus in Anantnag that left seven yatris, five of them women, killed and 21 wounded last night.
Meanwhile, cutting across party lines mainstream political, social, religious and separatist organizations have strongly condemned the attack and called it inhuman act.
Senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officers said the bus which came under militant attack at Batangoo Khanabal Anantng at 2020 hrs has violated security norms as Road Opening Parties (ROP) are withdrawn after 1900 hrs on the highway and other yatra routes.
So far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack though some reports said Laskher-e-Toiba (LeT) was behind it.
Official sources said that a massive hunt has been launched in the Kashmir valley, where security forces are already on high alert.
Security forces and police have conducted raids at several places in Anantnag and other south Kashmir districts.
Additional security forces and Army had been deployed on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and other Amarnath yatra routes to foil any similar militant attack on the yatra.
Inspector General of CRPF who visited Anantnag this morning said it was a matter of investigation how the vehicle carrying yatris was allowed to move after the withdrawal of the ROP at 1900 hrs.
About the militant group involved in the attack, he said, it is too early to identify the militant group.
Senior police officers claimed that it was not an attack on yatra bus but on a CRPF and police in the area. They said the bus was caught in cross fire.
Seven yatris, five of them women, were killed and 21 others were injured in the attack. The victims were from Gujarat.
Immediately after the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness, locals immediately shifted the injured to hospital.
The yatris said that they had paid obeisance at the cave shrine two days ago and were on way to Katra, Jammu, from Srinagar. We had planned to visit Shri Manata Vaishnodevi Shrine to pay obeisance.
Hundreds of local youths immediately rushed to the Anantnag hospital to offer blood and other facilties to injured and other yatris.
Officials said youths donated blood for the injured yatris while large number of youths had assembled outside S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and SMHS hospital to provide all help and blood to pilgrims.
