Militants attack Amarnath pilgrims in J&K

SRINAGAR: At least five persons were wounded, two of them seriously, when separatist militants hurled a grenade at a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims from a base camp to Srinagar on Wednesday. The attack took place near Bihama-Ganderbal in central Kashmir.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Farooq Ahmad said the incident took place when a bus carrying 40 passengers was on its way to Srinagar from Baltal in Sonamarg.

“When the bus reached near Bihama, militants lobbed a grenade which exploded injuring five persons. They have been removed to a hospital for treatment,” he said. Three of the injured have been identified as Ajay Soni, Ramesh and Shiv Kumar, all hailing from Rajasthan. “Doctors have said the pilgrims are out of danger,” Ahmad added.

The attack on pilgrims comes four days after Jammu and Kashmir police claimed to have busted a module responsible for the attacks on tourists. Two militants of Al-Bader Mujhadeen were arrested for the attack on Gujarati tourists in which four persons were killed and six others injured on May 25. Two Pakistani militants are still wanted.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) Madan Mantoo said the attack will not have any impact on the yatra. “These attacks do take place in Kashmir. It will not have any effect on the devotees visiting the holy cave shrine,” he added.

This year the SASB is expecting five lakh pilgrims to visit the holy cave shrine. Last year around four lakh pilgrims visited the cave. Nearly 62,000 pilgrims have already visited the cave shrine since the yatra began this year.