Reasi Terror Attack: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday released a sketch of a terrorist involved in the attack on a passenger bus in Reasi district and announced a ₹ 20 lakh reward for information about him. According to PTI reports, the sketch of the terrorist was prepared based on the description given by eyewitnesses, he said and appealed to people provide information.
The incident occurred when terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh. The bus, returning from the Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra, fell into a gorge after the driver was hit by gunfire, causing him to lose control. The attack took place on a link road of NH144A, which passes through dense forests and hilly terrain.
Residents and authorities carried out rescue operations, while security forces, including police, Army, and CRPF personnel, launched a search for the attackers. The area, located 100km northwest of Jammu, has been sealed off. According to Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma, the terrorists were waiting for the bus, and bullet shells were recovered from the site. Preliminary reports suggest that two masked terrorists fired at the bus, striking the driver.
The identities of the dead and injured have not yet been confirmed, but it is believed that the pilgrims are from Uttar Pradesh. This ambush indicates a potential expansion of terrorist activities into new regions, as Reasi district had previously remained unaffected by the recent wave of attacks in neighboring Rajouri and Poonch districts.
According to TOI reports, the Pir Panjal route, known for its challenging terrain, is often used by terrorists to infiltrate into Jammu from the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri before proceeding towards Kashmir. The most recent attack in Reasi before this incident occurred on May 13, 2022, when terrorists used "sticky bombs" on a bus transporting pilgrims from Katra to Jammu, resulting in four fatalities and 13 injuries.
Extensive efforts to track down the terrorists involved in the attack were underway on Tuesday, with 11 teams of security personnel working on the ground and a multi-directional cordon laid around the Ranso-Poni-Treyath belt.