HT CORRESPONDENT

Jammu, June 9 : Militants targeted a bus carrying Yatris in Reasi district on Sunday evening, killing eight of them and injuring 33, police said.

The 53-seater bus, enroute from Shiv Khori temple to Katra, skidded off the road following the attack and fell into a deep gorge.

 “Today at about 6.10 PM in Pouni area of Reasi district bordering Rajouri district, a bus carrying yatris from Shiv Khori to Katra was targeted apparently by terrorist using firearms,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi, Mohita Sharma told HT

The driver, the officer said, was hit and lost control, resulting in the bus sliding into the nearby gorge. With the help of local villagers, police evacuated all the passengers by 8.10 pm. 

SP Reasi supervised the evacuation and despatched the injured to different hospitals.

“Eight deaths have been confirmed. The 33 injured have been referred to various hospitals. District headquarter hospital Reasi (13), CHC Treyath (5), GMC in Jammu (15),” the officer said. 

A joint security force temporary operation Hqr by Police, Army and CRPF has been set up at the site and multidimensional operation has been launched to get at the attackers, the officer added.