The attack, which resulted in nine deaths and 33 injuries, has raised significant concerns as it occurred on the same day Narendra Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister for a historic third consecutive term.
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New Delhi:
According to sources, three foreign terrorists were involved in the attack on a
civilian bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi on Sunday evening. Reports suggest
that there are three terror groups active in the area, and at least two
terrorists are believed to be hiding in the inaccessible, forested upper
reaches of the Reasi region. A large-scale search operation is underway to
locate them.
Sources also
mentioned that the terrorists used M4 carbines—American-made assault rifles
developed in the 1980s and widely used by military forces globally, including a
variant reportedly utilized by Pakistani special forces and the Sindh Police's
Special Security Unit.
The attack,
which left nine people dead and 33 injured, has alarmed India's intelligence
services, especially since it coincided with Narendra Modi's swearing-in as
Prime Minister for a record third term.
J&K
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack, emphasizing that Mr. Modi
is closely overseeing the situation. "The perpetrators will face
justice," he declared. "I vehemently denounce the cowardly terrorist
attack on a bus in Reasi. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the
martyred civilians. Our security forces and police have initiated a joint
operation to capture the terrorists."
The attack
targeted a bus carrying 53 people to the Shiv Khor cave temple. The bus veered
off the road after the initial gunfire and fell into a gorge near the village
of Teryath. Disturbing visuals showed bodies strewn around and the damaged bus.
Mr. Modi,
who had taken his oath hours earlier in a grand ceremony in Delhi
(approximately 700 km away), has been in contact with Mr. Sinha, who mentioned
that the Prime Minister "...asked me to constantly monitor the
situation."
President
Droupadi Murmu and Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been sworn in again as a
cabinet minister, also expressed their sentiments. Mr. Shah stated he was
"deeply pained" by the attack and vowed that the perpetrators would face
the full force of the law.
From the
opposition, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi condemned the "cowardly attack"
and highlighted the dire security situation in J&K. His sister, Priyanka
Gandhi Vadra, called terrorism a violent act against humanity.
The attack
signifies a substantial increase in violence in the region. The Reasi district
had previously been relatively untouched by terrorist activities compared to
the neighboring districts of Rajouri and Poonch.