2017 Amarnath Yatra attack
2017 Amarnath Yatra attack | |
---|---|
Part of Hindu pilgrims | |
Perpetrators | Lashkar-e-Taiba (denied responsibility)[3] |
Assailants | 4 LeT attackers; three logistics providers[2] |
Accused | Attackers, all killed: Abu Ismail (mastermind)[4] Yawar Bashir Furqan Maawiya[5] Logistic support, all arrested: Bilal Ahmed Reshi Aizaj Wagey Zahoor Ahmed[2] |
On 10 July 2017, the first Monday of the month of
Background
The 48-day July–August annual Hindu pilgrimage, undertaken by up to 600,000 or more pilgrims to the 130 feet (40 m)-high glacial Amarnath cave shrine of iced stalagmite Shiv linga at 12,756 feet (3,888 m) in Himalayas, is called Amarnath Yatra.[11][12][13] It begins with a 43 kilometres (27 mi) mountainous trek from the Nunwan and Chandanwari base camps at Pahalgam and reaches the cave-shrine after night halts at Sheshnag Lake and Panchtarni camps.[14]
The yatra is both a way of earning revenue by the state government by imposing tax on pilgrims,[15][16] and a way of making a living for the local Shia Muslim Bakarwal-Gujjars by taking a portion of the revenue and by offering services to the Hindu pilgrims, and this source of income has been threatened by the Islamist Kashmiri Sunni militant groups who have banned and attacked the yatra numerous times,[17][18][19][20][21] as well as by recent massacres of at least 59 people prior to July 2017 on this yatra, causing deaths of mostly Hindu pilgrims, in addition to at least 10 Muslim civilians, and several more Muslims among security forces.[22][23][24][25][26]
Previous incidents
Prior to this incident, terrorists have attacked the Amaranath yatra at least 3 times, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, killing at least 54 Hindu pilgrims and injuring at least another 105 people, all unarmed, and at least 10 Muslim civilian support service providers, and at least 6 security personnel.[22][23][26][27][28]
On 2 August 2000, Hizbul Mujahideen (designated a terrorist organisation by India,[29] European Union[30] and United States,[31][32][33][34][35]) massacred at least 32 Hindu pilgrims and injured at least 60 people in a two-hour long indiscriminate shoot out at Nunwan base camp in Anantnag district, causing the death of 21 unarmed Hindu pilgrims and 7 unarmed Muslim shopkeepers, and 3 security force officers.[23] This attack on Amarnath yatra was part of the larger 1 and 2 August 2000 Kashmir massacre in 5 separate coordinated terrorist attacks that killed at least 89 (official count) to 105 people (as reported by PTI), and injured at least 62 more.[27]
On 20 July 2001, a terrorist threw two grenades and fired indiscriminately on a pilgrim night camp at Sheshnag Lake en route Amarnath shrine, killing at least 13 and injured another 15 people. Those killed included 5 unarmed Hindu male pilgrims, 3 unarmed Hindu female pilgrims, 3 unarmed Muslim civilians providing support services to pilgrims, and 2 security officials.[22][23][28]
On 6 August 2002, terrorists from al-Mansuriyan, a front group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, massacred 9 pilgrims and injured 30 near Nunwan pilgrimage base camp.[23][26]
On 7 July 2017, terrorists attacked a civilian bus that was on the Baltal-Jammu route where movement of vehicles is not allowed after 7 p.m. due to the militants' threats. A tyre of the bus was punctured, taking two to two and a half hours to repair. Pilgrims are not allowed to travel on the route without road-opening parties and security escorts which were withdrawn at around 7:30 p.m. The bus was also not registered with the Amarnath shrine board.[25]
Attack
After arrests of three locals, described as "co-conspirators" in August 2017 who had provided logistical support to the attackers, Munir Khan,
The security agencies had earlier investigated whether the bus was the target or was it incidental.
The white coloured bus number plated (GJ09Z9979) at which the firing took place carried about 50 pilgrims. It was reported by the Indian media that the attack was carried out by 3-5 terrorists at the location of Khanabal.[40][41][42][43] Though the bus contained more than 50 people, a larger number of casualties was prevented to a great extent due to the actions of the bus driver named "Saleem Mirza".[44] Despite the bus being fired on by the bullets in all directions, the bus driver continued driving the bus in a calm manner for about 1 km before stopping at an intersection.[43]
The
Seven pilgrims from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana, including six women were killed in the attack.[41][47] Another pilgrim succumbed to her injuries on 16 July.[48]
Aftermath
The bodies of the seven Amarnath pilgrims killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir were brought to Gujarat's Surat airport along with the injured and their family members in an Indian Air Force plane. The Government of Gujarat announced a compensation of ₹600,000 (US$7,500) for the relatives of every killed victims and ₹200,000 (US$2,500) for the injured victims. Subsequently, the Government of India announced compensation of ₹700,000 (US$8,800) for the killed victims and ₹100,000 (US$1,300) for the injured victims.[49]
Jammu and Kashmir State Chief Minister paid a visit to the injured victims of the attack at the hospital. During her visit she spoke to Indian media she said the attack is a "Blot on all Muslims and Kashmiri" and the "Head of every Kashmiri hangs in shame over the incident". She further said that she have no words to condemn the terror attack.[43]
Bus driver "Saleem Mirza" who was hailed as a hero due to his act of bravery spoke to Indian media and said "God gave me strength to save lives of people". The Government of Gujarat's Chief Minister Vijay Rupani thanked Mirza as he saved lives despite heavy firing. Rupani informed the Indian media that the Government of Gujarat will nominate Mirza for the bravery award with the Government of India.[44]
Police officials stated, that the attack was carried out by
Security forces' action
Security forces, including J&K Police and
All over ground workers who had provided logistic support to the terrorists had been identified by 24 July.[51] All of them had been arrested by 27 July.[52]
Abu Ismail, the main accused, was killed along with an associate Abu Kassim on 14 September by security forces in
Reactions
"Rediff" reported the attack as the worst attack carried out on the annual pilgrimage since 2001.[49]
The attack was condemned by many including Prime Minister of India
Locally, the political party Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President G A Mir condemned the attack and described it as shocking and highly shameful. More than 200 activists of the JKPCC thronged the Rehari belt of Jammu city and held protests against the killing of pilgrims. They raised anti-government and anti-BJP slogans and demanded that the government should be sacked.[49]
The protestors in the
After being blamed for the attack by the police, a LeT spokesman condemned the attack and termed it un-Islamic. They denied they were involved in the attack, blaming it instead on the Indian intelligence agencies.[3][57]
See also
- 2000 Amarnath pilgrimage massacre
- 2003 Nadimarg massacre
- List of terrorist incidents in India
- List of massacres in India
References
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- ^ a b "Security forces killed 102 terrorists in J&K in 7 months, more on hit list", The Times of India, 14 July 2017.
- ^ "=LeT behind Amarnath yatra attack, 3 arrested: Police". Greater Kashmir.
- ^ 8 Dead in the Biggest Terror Attack on Amarnath Yatra in Years., Quint[permanent dead link], 11 July 2017.
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- ^ "Terror attack on amarnath pilgrims". Retrieved 11 July 2017.
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- Huffington Post, 11 July 2017.
- ^ Amarnath Yatra explained, Amarnath Yatra organisation.
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- Times of India.
- ^ No Additional Tax Levied on Vehicles Going to Amarnath and Vaishno Devi, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Finance of Government of India, 2010.
- ISBN 978-93-5150-964-6.
- Times of India, 17 July 2016.
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- ^ "Rediff On The NeT: Harkatul Mujaheedin 'bans' Amarnath Yatra". Rediff.com. 9 July 1998. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
- ^ [1] Archived 10 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Tribune, 11 July 2017.
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- ^ a b c 2003, Chronology of Major Killings in Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir herald, Volume 2, No. 11.]
- ^ The Tribune, 3 August 2000.
- ^ a b "Amarnath Yatra devotees have faced repeated terror attacks: Here's the blood-soaked history of pilgrimage", First Post, 11 July 2017.
- ^ "::Ministry of Home Affairs:: BANNED ORGANISATIONS". 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ "COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2015/2430 of 21 December 2015". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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- ^ "Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba behind Amarnath terror attack: J&K police". Livemint.
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- News18, 10 July 2017.
- ^ Indian Express, 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Terror attack on Amarnath yatra: 7 pilgrims killed, 19 injured in Anantnag". Business Standard.
- ^ a b c "Amarnath attack: How the hero bus driver drove through bullets to save many lives". Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ a b "God gave me strength': Amarnath bus driver Saleem Mirza who was hailed a hero". Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ Amarnath Yatra Attack: LeT commander responsible behind attack, says IG; bodies of victims reach Surat, Times Now, 11 July 2017.
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External links
- Official website
- Amarnath: Journey to the shrine of a Hindu god, Boston Globenews story in pictures, 13 July 2012.
- Chronology of Major Killings in Jammu and Kashmir.