Terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out Monday's attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Batangoo in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and Pakistani terrorist commander Abu Ismail masterminded and executed it, the J&K police has said.
Ismail's identification is a major breakthrough in the investigations into the attack on a Jammu-bound bus that left seven pilgrims dead and 19 wounded, sparking outrage and protests nationwide.
Ismail was part of a group which came on two motorbikes and attacked the bus twice, carrying pilgrims mostly from Gujarat and Maharashtra who were returning after visiting the cave shrine of Lord Shiva.
"They fired more than 150 rounds before escaping through a maze of lanes and bylanes," said an officer.
A massive manhunt has been launched to nab Ismail and his group members. Security forces raided several houses at Batangoo and detained five persons for questioning on Monday night.
The 20-something Ismail is considered to be the deputy of LeT's Kashmir chief Abu Dujana. Sources said Ismail is effectively heading the Pakistan-based terror outfit as Dujana, also a Pakistani national, has been sidelined due to the differences within the group. He is touted to officially replace Dujana.
Ismail has been operating in south Kashmir for 30 months, having been part of almost all attacks on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. He is wanted in many cases.
"After every attack, he flees to Kulgam district because he has been entrenched there for a long time. He was earlier operating from Pulwama," said a police officer. Sources said Ismail has been trying to fill in the space left by the killing of Bashir Lashkari and Junaid Matoo.
Meanwhile, Union ministers Jitender Singh and Hansraj Ahir, besides Army Chief Bipin Rawat and CRPF DG RR Bhatnagar reached J&K where Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also held separate meetings to review security and plan anti-terror operations.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath held a security review meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain, R&AW chief Anil Dhasmana, besides other top officials. Doval also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said on Monday that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and evil designs of hate.
The J&K police's CID, in its report to the Union Home Ministry, has said that the bus was first attacked at 8:17 pm. The driver charged past the area but faced another group of terrorists after crossing just 75 metres. The second attack took place at 8:20 pm.
This contradicts the version given by the CRPF.
They had said that the terrorists first attacked a naka, then the bus and they also fired upon a security camp while escaping.
Four days before the pilgrimage took off on June 29, intelligence inputs had warned of a major attack to flare up communal tension across India. A confidential note circulated among security forces by the J&K police on June 25 had cautioned that militants have been directed to kill 100 to 150 pilgrims and 100 cops.
As a fresh batch of 3,289 pilgrims set out for the yatra from Jammu on Tuesday, the Centre asked them to follow security protocol.
Intelligence agencies have alerted the Centre that the attack could snowball into a communal problem. The government has asked senior leaders to be restraint in making statements and ensure there is no backlash.
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