7 people have died after the annual hindu pilgrimage, Amarnath Yatra, in India’s Jammu and Kashmir came under attack on Monday night around 8.30pm.
Six women and one man were killed and 19 people were injured when militants open fired on a bus, NDTV reports.
The pilgrims were from the state of Gujarat and were returning after visiting the holy shrine located near Pahalgam in Kashmir, The Times of India reported.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the injured at the hospital and in a statement said: "This is an assault on our values and traditions which we hold dear. We will leave no stone unturned to root out the perpetrators of this heinous crime."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone... India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and the evil designs of hate."
"A group of heavily armed terrorists today attacked police parties in Batengoo and Khanabal area of the district (Anantnag). Unfortunately, a pilgrim bus was caught in the crossfire leading to the death of six yatris and injuring 12 others," Munir Khan, IGP Kashmir, said.
The Times of India quoted security forces saying the bus was not registered with shrine board and the driver had flouted rules for the pilgrimage which states "no vehicle should be on highway after 7pm".
