SIT to probe Amarnath pilgrim bus attack

The Jammu and Kashmir police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the attack on Amarnath pilgrims as the preliminary investigations suggest militants “wanted to inflict heavy casualty as five magazines were emptied on the bus”.

A police official said at least 150 empty bullet cartridges or five magazine of AK-47 were found near Batengoo, Anantnag.

Lucky escape


“The number of bullets fired at the bus only indicates the intent. The seat arrangement in the bus seemed to have helped avoid causalities. The seat height in the bus is far higher than a normal bus,” said the police.

Over 30 bullet holes have been found on the bus, with many bullets hitting the roof of the bus. “It shows the militants came close and were driving on a motorcycle,” the police inquiry suggest.

Fired from two sides


The militants, according to the police, fired from two sides.

“It fired from the front too, breaking the front window. We are investigating if they wanted to enter the bus,” he added.

The police have ruled out that the bus was attacked at multiple points.

Tracing the attack trajectory, the police inquiry suggest that the five emptied magazines within a short time period only suggest “more than three militants” may have taken part in the attack.

The police said it’s focusing on technical details to establish the link of the militants, who carried out the attack, with the handlers across the Line of Control (LoC). The police said all pointers suggest Lashkar-e-Taiba’s hand in the attack.

Source said over 10 over ground workers have been questioned in the attack for leads.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police South Kashmir, S.P. Pani will head the SIT and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Anantnag, Altaf Ahmad Khan, will be assisting him.

Seven pilgrims, including five women, were killed and 19 injured on Monday as militants opened fire on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims.

The bus was not registered with the Amaranth Shrine Board and had reportedly violated the travel rules.