Reasi terror attack: Pakistan-backed militant group TRF claims responsibility for bus attack

Reasi terror attack: The Pakistan-backed militant group, The Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for the terror attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Sunday. The attack resulted in the deaths of nine persons and leaving 33 others injured.

In a statement, the The Resistance Front (TRF) warned of more attacks targeting “tourists and non-locals,” describing the Reasi terror attack as “the beginning of a renewed start.”

A massive search operation has been launched to locate the terrorists, with security in the area being intensified. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been entrusted with the task to investigate the attack, as per sources from the Home Ministry.

The attack occurred as the bus was returning from the Shiv Khori shrine en route to Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Terrorists hiding in the nearby forest ambushed the vehicle, firing upon it. The bus driver was hit by a bullet, lost control, and the vehicle rolled down a gorge. Both the bus driver and the conductor were killed in the attack.

Sources said two to three terrorists were involved, likely part of the same group responsible for recent attacks in Rajouri and Poonch. Drones are being deployed to search the area, and a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has also joined the operation.

Meanwhile, the authorities have identified some of the victims, with most hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The driver and conductor, both from Reasi, were among those killed. Of the injured, 34 are from Uttar Pradesh, five from Delhi, and two from Rajasthan.

Survivors’ account 
Survivors recounted the harrowing experience. They said the terrorists continued firing even after the bus fell into the gorge. One survivor mentioned that the terrorists descended into the gorge and kept firing, causing passengers to remain silent, pretending to be dead. The police, assisted by local villagers, evacuated the passengers by 8 pm. Reasi Superintendent of Police supervised the evacuation and rushed the injured to hospitals. 

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has also announced a financial aid of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 to those injured. A control room has been set up by the district administration to provide necessary assistance. In a tweet, the LG confirmed the establishment of a joint security force temporary headquarters at the site, and the ongoing operation to neutralise the perpetrators.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that the injured receive the best possible medical care, as confirmed by Lieutenant Governor Sinha.