Amarnath yatra attack : 7 killed, 32 injured in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Terrorists tonight killed seven Amarnath pilgrims from Gujarat, including six women, and injured 32 others as they struck at a bus in Kashmir's Anantnag district, in the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2000.

The bus bearing the registration number GJ09Z 9976 was attacked at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal when it was on its way to Jammu, police said.

When the police retaliated, the militants fled, firing indiscriminately in which the bus carrying the yatris were travelling. Seven of the pilgrims were killed and 32 were injured, the police said.

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for the pilgrimage, which state that no yatra vehicle should be on the highway after 7 pm as the security cover is withdrawn after that.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, stongly condemned the dastardly attack and asserted that India will never get bogged down by such cowardly attacks and evil designs of hate. He said he spoke to Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured all possible assistance required.