Our army preparing to give befitting reply to attackers of Amarnath pilgrims: Ahir

Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir on Wednesday said that the country's armed forces are preparing to give a befitting reply to those behind the terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.

Asserting that such attacks should never be repeated, Ahir who visited the valley said security has been beefed up and existing arrangements improvised.

"Jitendra Singh and I visited the valley and conducted a review meeting with the authorities in the state. We have beefed up the security and improved the security arrangements. The attack on 10th July is highly condemnable. Our forces are preparing to give a befitting reply to this attack," said.

"Such incidents should not be repeated. Governor is reviewing this situation; CM Mehbooba is also supervising this. Whatever flaws were highlighted, will be worked upon. Pilgrims have faith in the security measures for their yatra. The intentions of terrorists should not be fulfilled," he added.

Addressing the media, Jitendra Singh congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the kind of resilience they have shown in the last 25 years.

"Anything that happens in Kashmir finds echo across the country. People of the Valley want the guilty to be punished. We are here on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express our solidarity. The common youth of Kashmir is keen to be a part of the development journey led by Prime Minister Modi," he added.

Singh said the militancy is going to outlive its life soon and that India is in the last phase of militancy.

Responding to Home Minister Rajnath Singh's assertion that "every Kashmiri is not a terrorist", Jitendra Singh said, "Yes, Home Minister Rajnath ji is absolutely right - every Kashmiri is not a terrorist."

"We should not look at this as a Kashmir vs rest of India issue. It's not the popular sentiment," he added.

As many as seven people were killed and fifteen others injured after a group of terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying 17 pilgrims from Baltal to Mir Bazar around 8.20 p.m. on Monday night.

Meanwhile, three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed by security forces near Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday night.

Based on inputs of presence of some terrorists in a specific house, an operation was launched by troops of the Rashtriya Rifles, Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Radbug village of Budgam.

The troops recovered one self-loading rifle along with three magazines and one pistol with one magazine.

Two terrorists have been identified as Javed, a resident of Churpur and Aabid, a resident of Badgam. The identity of the third one is yet to be ascertained.

-ANI