New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held a security review meeting in the wake of a militant attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir that left seven persons dead on Monday evening.
The meeting was called to look into possible security lapses that may have led to the attack on a bus that was carrying pilgrims from Gujarat.
Sources said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, top Home Ministry, intelligence and paramilitary force officials attended the meeting to take stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the other hand, A high-level central team led by Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir will also visit Jammu and Kashmir to assess the security of the pilgrimage to the high altitude cave shrine located in the Himalayas.
Director General of CRPF R R Bhatnagar has already reached Srinagar to review the deployment of the central forces in the pilgrimage route.
He will also attend a security review meeting convened by Governor N N Vohra in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for airlifting of the bodies of the victims of yesterday’s attack to Gujarat.
Yesterday, a group of terrorists opened fire at a bus carrying pilgrims in the Anantnag district, in which seven from Gujarat, including six women, were killed and 19 were injured, thereby making it the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2000.
The bus bearing the registration number GJ09Z 9976.
Police said the bus was not a part of the Yatra convoy which is being provided elaborate security.
The terrorists first attacked a bullet-proof bunker of the police at Botengoo, a police official said, adding it was retaliated. There were no injuries in this attack. Thereafter the terrorists fired on a police picket near Khannabal, the police added.
When the police retaliated, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately in which the bus carrying the Yatris were traveling.
The police and top government sources said the bus driver had violated rules for the pilgrimage, which state that no yatra vehicle should be on the highway after 7 pm as the security cover is withdrawn after that.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was personally monitoring the situation, strongly condemned the dastardly attack and asserted that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and evil designs of hate.
IANS