The NIA team has reached Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district to coordinate with local police investigating the terror attack on a passenger bus that left nine people dead and several injured, officials said on Monday.
The bus, carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, plunged into a deep gorge after being ambushed by terrorists on Sunday evening.
Reasi Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan said all nine dead have been identified.
Driver Vijay Kumar hailed from Dasanoo Rajbagh village, while conductor Arun Kumar was a native of Kandera village in Katra, both located in Reasi district.
The other victims include Rajinder Prasad Sawhney, Mamta Sawhney, Pooja Sawhney, and her two-year-old son Titu Sawhney, all residents of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Additionally, the victims from Uttar Pradesh are Shivam Gupta, Ruby, and 14-year-old Anurag Verma.
Officials said that 41 people, aged between three and 50, were injured in the attack. Among them, 10 sustained gunshot wounds and are in stable condition after undergoing surgeries.
While the NIA team have begun investigating the incident, preliminary investigation suggests the M4 Carbine was used in this attack as well. Before this, the same weapons were used to ambush security forces in DKG near Buffliaz in Poonch, in which 4 security personnel were killed last year.
The M4 carbine, a US-made assault rifle famous for its range, usability and accuracy, is uncommon in Jammu and Kashmir. However, since the US withdrew, these high-calibre weapons have made their way into Kashmir.
Security experts say that these weapons remained in Afghanistan due to the hasty US withdrawal and have now ended up in the hands of foreign terrorists, particularly the ones who have been diverted from Afghanistan to Kashmir.
"A search operation has been launched in the area," said Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma. She added that the village defence committees had also been mobilised.
The terrorists involved in the attack are believed to be hiding in the upper reaches of neighbouring Rajouri and Reasi districts, where dense forests and deep gorges provide cover.
Security forces, including the Army, police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have established a multi-dimensional cordon around the Teryath-Poni-Shiv Khori area, which borders Rajouri district.
Armed with surveillance equipment, including drones and sniffer dogs, a massive combing operation has commenced in the area and its surroundings.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the terror attack. Additionally, Rs 50,000 has been approved for those injured.”
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