In a swift response to Sunday’s terrorist attack on a bus in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir police announced the detention of 50 individuals connected to the incident, which left nine dead and 41 injured.
The crackdown comes just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a high-level review meeting to assess the situation in the Union Territory.
As part of intensified efforts to capture the terrorists, the search operations have been broadened to encompass the Arnas and Mahore areas, known terrorist hotspots from 1995 to 2005.
A police spokesperson said, “Significant leads have been uncovered, aiding in the identification and capture of those who may be potentially involved in orchestrating the attack. To ensure a comprehensive probe, search operations have been expanded to cover the far-flung areas of Arnas and Mahore.”
The attack on Sunday targeted a 53-seater bus carrying pilgrims from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan enroute to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra from the Shiv Khori temple. Terrorists opened fire on the bus, causing it to plunge into a gorge, resulting in the tragic loss of lives.
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Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi chaired a review meeting to evaluate the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. He conferred with Home Minister Amit Shah and newly reappointed National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, receiving a comprehensive update on the security scenario and counter-terrorism operations underway.
The NDTV quoted sources that the Prime Minister has ordered the deployment of the “full spectrum of the armed forces’ counter-terror capabilities” following a spate of four terrorist attacks within four days.
In addition to the Reasi incident, terrorists also attacked a village in Kathua district on Tuesday. The following day, a policeman was injured in Doda district when terrorists targeted a police picket. Earlier, an Army camp attack resulted in injuries to five Army personnel.
In past incidents, over 200 people have been detained following terrorist attacks, highlighting the challenge for security forces to accurately identify the actual perpetrators. Security forces are particularly concerned as these recent attacks have occurred in areas previously considered free of terrorism. Despite this, intelligence has suggested for some time that Jammu was a high-priority target for terrorists.
To aid in the investigation, Reasi Police have released sketches of two suspected terrorists believed to be involved in the attack and have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to their arrest.
