Amarnath Yatra attack 2017: The Indian Army today said the three LeT terrorists, killed by security forces in an encounter in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Monday, were involved in the Amarnath Yatra attack on July 10. “According to police records, the three LeT terrorists killed in Wanihama encounter (in Anantnag) were involved in Amarnath Attack,” Col Aditya Sahai was quoted as saying by ANI. Sahay added that “police will be able to ascertain this better.”
Monday’s encounter broke out at around 8 pm at Wanihama village of Anantnag, following an anti-terror operation launched by the security forces, PTI reported. Terrorists on July 10 had killed seven Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. Among those killed were six women while 19 others were injured when the terrorists attacked the piligrims’ bus in Anantnag district. This was the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2001. Five of those killed by terrorists were from Gujarat and two from Maharashtra.
The terrorists had attacked the bus bearing the registration number GJ09Z 9976 at around 8.20 pm near Khanabal when it was on its way to Jammu from Srinagar, police said. The victims had performed the yatra two days ago and subsequently moved to Srinagar. They were going from Srinagar to Jammu when they became the target of the terrorists.
The cowardly attacked was condemned all across the word. “Pained beyond words on the dastardly attack on peaceful Amarnath Yatris in J&K. The attack deserves strongest condemnation from everyone,” Modi tweeted. “My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the attack in J&K. My prayers with the injured,” he added.
Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) today said that 95 terrorists have been killed in 2017 until July 9, while 12 civilians and 38 security personnel lost their lives in terror attacks.