Amarnath Yatris attack: a security lapse, says Nirmal Singh

Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Nirmal Singh today said that the attack on the bus carrying Amarnath yatris was due to a security lapse. Seven pilgrims were killed and nineteen were injured in the attack.

Speaking to a New Delhi-based news channel NDTV, Singh said that attack is a shock to the nation.

“This attack is a shock to the nation,” he said, hours after the state police attributed the attack to Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“Yes, definitely this is a big lapse. We have to enquire why the bus left at 5 pm, why it was allowed after sunset. We were told there was a tyre burst and the driver took time to replace it,” the Deputy Chief Minister told NDTV.

The police had earlier said that the attack on aimed at security forces, not at yatris. Later, police clarified that the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group was responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, the LeT spokesperson in a statement issued here to the press has condemned the attack on the yatris and denied any involvement in the attack.

The bus was fired at by suspected militants in Anantnag at 8:20 pm. The nearly 60 pilgrims on board were mainly from Gujarat; all victims are being flown in a special air force plane to Surat in Gujarat today. The bus they were using was not registered with the governing board that handles arrangements for the pilgrimage.

 

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