Amarnath Yatra Attack: ‘Driver’s Presence Of Mind Saved Many Lives’ | Republic World

At least seven Amarnath Yatris were killed and 19 others injured in a terrorist attack on a Yatra bus carrying 17 pilgrims in three attacks in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

Saleem was the driver of the bus returning from Amarnath shrine and was responsible for saving the lives of many. He continued to ride the bus even as the vehicle came under attack. It was his sharp decision that led to the saving of lives of many passengers on the bus. If he had stopped the bus, the number of casualties would have been higher, as per security forces.

Sources have revealed that it was a joint operation between the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen. The mastermind behind the attack was a Pakistani terrorist, Abu Ismail. Ismail was helped by 2 more Pakistani terrorists and 2 local aides.

The logistics support came from the the Hizbul cadres. The main aim of the terrorists was to barge into the bus, while they opened fired to have maximum number of casualties.

Reports have suggested that the terrorists who had divided themselves in two groups, did a 3-day recce dressed as shepherds. Their targets were the buses which come out the ring of the security cordon.

The pilgrims’ bus was surrounded on three sides by the terrorists near a security checkpost at Anantnag and fired at. Troops of the 90th and 40th Battalion have been rushed to the spot of terror attack. The injured have been taken to Anantnag District hospital and those critically injured are being shifted to Srinagar.

The Jammu and Kashmir police said the “bus was on its way to Jammu from Baltal and was not a part of the convoy.”