J&K police forms SIT to probe Amarnath bus attack

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a DIG-rank officer to probe the July 10 terror attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir.

"We have constituted the six-member SIT headed by South Kashmir Deputy Inspector General of Police S.P. Pani for speedy investigation in this important case," Inspector General of Police Kashmir Munir Ahmad Khan said.

Other members include Anantnag Senior Superintendent of Police Altaf Ahmad Khan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and other officers who will assist in the probe.

Seven pilgrims were killed and 19 injured when their bus heading towards Jammu from Srinagar was attacked by militants at 8.30 p.m. at Batengo in Anantnag district on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway on July 10.

The bus was not registered with the Amaranth Shrine Board and had reportedly violated the travel rules.

Soon after the attack, the Kashmir IGP had said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was behind the attack.

"Initial investigation reveals it is a group of Lashkar militants headed by Abu Ismail of Pakistan who carried out the attack," the IGP had said.

--IANS

sq/tsb/bg