Amarnath Yatra terror attack: Bus was on road for 3 hours without any checks | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Amarnath Yatra terror attack: Bus was on road for 3 hours without any checks

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByHT Correspondents
Jul 12, 2017 12:18 AM IST

Seven Amarnath pilgrims returning from the remote Himalayan shrine were shot dead and several wounded when militants fired on their bus in Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

A terrorist attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag that killed seven people was likely the culmination of a string of security lapses, lax procedures and muddled practices.

Amarnath Yatra pilgrims on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday.(PTI)
Amarnath Yatra pilgrims on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday.(PTI)

The Yatra was cloaked in security this year because of heightened militancy threats and unrest in the Valley, and more than 30,000 personnel stationed along the route were supposed to avert any such attack.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

But senior officials told HT on Tuesday that the entire apparatus is withdrawn at 5.30pm every day because buses and vehicles carrying pilgrims aren’t allowed to travel after 5 pm.

The ill-fated bus from Gujarat that came under terrorist fire started its journey from the Amarnath base camp of Baltal at 5pm, the cut-off time for buses on the route. Passengers said the bus suffered a tyre puncture and they spent nearly one-and-a-half hours on the side of the road, and were still in Kashmir around 8.20pm when the attack occurred. During this entire journey, it was not checked even once.

State deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh has already admitted to lapses.

A special operations group vehicle was travelling on the road behind the bus but didn’t stop the Gujarat-registered vehicle. Occupants of the SOG vehicle – which was bulletproof – reported that militants fired indiscriminately. The first target appeared to be the SOG vehicle.

Another factor that contributed to the attack was the flouting of registration and other regulations linked to the Yatra. Several such operators function out of Gujarat, which sends the maximum number of pilgrims to the remote Himalayan shrine, and many of them aren’t registered even with local associations.

The bus, registered with Om Sai Travels, wasn’t registered with the Amarnath board but confusion prevailed over the exact procedure to visit the holy shrine dedicated to Shiva. Many said that often, local vehicles were allowed to proceed to the Baltal camp without registration after some informal procedure, and that only pilgrims needed to register.

“They (Om Sai Travels) are not member of any of the four associations – Travel Agents Federation of India, Tours and Travels Operators’ Association of Gujarat, Indian Association of Tour Operators and Gujarat Association of Tour Operators,” Manish Sharma, managing director of Gujarat’s leading agency Akshar Travels and member of these associations, told HT.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Mukhtar Ansari Death News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On