Amarnath Yatra attack: Death toll rises to 8 as another woman succumbs to injuries | India Today

A woman devotee, injured in the deadly militant attack on Amarnath pilgrims, succumbed at a hospital early today, taking the death toll in the incident to eight.

Lalita, 47, succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar, a police official said. With this, the death toll in the 10 July attack has climbed to 8.

Seven people, including six women, were killed and 19 injured when terrorists attacked a bus full of Amarnath pilgrims in near Khanabal in Anantnag district on Monday (July 10) night. Five of those killed were from Gujarat and two from Maharashtra.

Lalita succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar.

Describing the attack on Amarnath pilgrims as dastardly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said,”India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate”.

The terror attack is being described as the worst on the annual Amarnath Yatra since 2000. The attack took place despite specific intelligence input on June 25 that terrorists may target Amarnath pilgrims.

The attack took place at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal Anantnag district where terrorists first attacked two police posts before fleeing and then opening fire at the bus that was carrying a group of pilgrims who had finished the Amarnath Yatra two days ago.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who spent the night in Anantnag among the survivors of the attack, decried the terrorist strike, saying Kashmiris’ heads hang in shame.

The attack on the bus (GJ 09 Z 9976) was part of a series of strikes that first targeted security personnel. Terrorists first fired upon a bullet-proof police bunker in Botengoo. When they faced resistance, the militants fled and subsequently attacked a police picket near Khannabal.

(With inputs from PTI)