Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah grieves over death of ITBP personnel in Pahalgam bus accident

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday “felt sorry about the targetted killings in Shopian” and expressed condolences to the family of the six Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel who died in the tragic Pahalgam bus accident. “Terribly sorry to hear about the targeted killing in Shopian. Condolences to the deceased’s family. GOI (Government of India) continues to behave like an ostrich with its head buried deep under the sand. Every resident of J&K has become cannon fodder in Delhi’s quest for ‘manufactured normalcy’,” Mufti said in a tweet.

Thirty-three personnel sustained injuries in the accident that took place when a civilian bus carrying 37 ITBP personnel and two J-K Police was on its way to Pahalgam from Chandanwari when it rolled down into the deep gorge reportedly after its breaks malfunctioned, a senior ITBP official said. National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter to express his grief.

“…I send my condolences to the families and colleagues of the brave ITBP jawans killed in an accident in Pahalgam today. A number of ITBP personnel have been injured. I send my best wishes for their speedy and complete recovery,” he said in a tweet. “Deeply anguished by the bus accident near Chandanwari in which we have lost our brave ITBP personnel. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. All possible assistance is being provided to the injured personnel,” Lt Governor Sinha said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his grief on the tragic incident and took to Twitter to wish for the early recovery of those injured. “Anguished to learn about the accident of a bus carrying ITBP and police personnel in Pahalgam, J&K. My prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved families. The injured were rushed to the hospital. May they recover at the earliest,” he tweeted.

A doctor at the Government Medical College of Anantnag, Dr Syed Tariq said that 30 people were injured in the accident. “Our six jawans have lost their lives, 30 injured. We will provide the best possible treatment to the injured. ITBP Headquarters is keeping a watch on the situation. The jawans were returning from Amarnath Yatra duty. All help will be provided to affected families, Vivek Kumar Pandey, ITBP PRO said.

The mishap took place at Frislan in Pahalgam area. The jawans were deputed in the area for the Amarnath Yatra.

“We are in touch with local administration and teams of disaster management have been rushed to the site for a rescue operation,” an ITBP official said. The Amarnath Yatra began on June 29, from Jammu amid tight security arrangements made by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) along with the army and the local police.

The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, is held from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal. (ANI)

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