NIA to Probe Terror Attack on Pilgrims’ Bus in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: The Union Home Ministry on Monday entrusted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the recent terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir, in which nine persons including three women were killed, and 41 were injured.

After an ambush by the terrorists, a bus with pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on June 9.

The terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus when it was travelling from Shiv Khori temple to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra.

The decision to hand over the investigation to the NAI came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and preparations for the annual Amarnath yatra. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, CRPF Director General Anish Dayal Singh, BSF Director General Nitin Agarwal, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain and other top security officials attended both the meetings held by Shah.

Shah on Sunday said the fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is in its decisive phase.