‘Against Kashmiri ethos’: Separatist leaders condemn attack on Amarnath pilgrims

Separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir condemned the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district on Monday night, saying the incident “goes against Kashmiri ethos”.

In a joint statement, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik expressed grief over the killing of seven Amarnath yatris.

“The incident goes against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos. The Amarnath yatra has been going on peacefully for centuries and is part of yearly rhythm and will remain so,” it said.

“Our heart goes out to the families of the bereaved and we express our heartfelt condolences,” it further read.

Seven people were killed and more than 12 were injured after terrorists attacked a chartered bus that was returning from the Amarnath shrine in Jammu. The bus, that was accompanied by a security vehicle, was reportedly not registered with the Amarnath shrine board, and was moving after sunset which is against security protocol.

The last time the Amarnath yatra was targeted was in 2001 when terrorists had struck in the Sheshnag area close to the holy cave, killing 13 people.

Prior to that, terrorists had attacked pilgrims on August 1, 2000 in Pahalgam area, killing 30 people, who also included porters.

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