Vice president expresses shock over attack on Amarnath yatris

New Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari today expressed shock at the "dastardly" attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir. In his message, he condoled the families of the deceased and said perpetrators of such "wanton" acts of violence should be punished for the "crime against humanity". He said India remains united in the face of such attacks.

"I'm shocked to learn of the dastardly terrorist attack on Amarnath yatra in Jammu and Kashmir which has resulted in loss of lives and injuries to pilgrims," he said. "Such wanton acts of violence can have no justification.

The perpetrators and those who support and shelter them should be punished for this crime against humanity," Ansari said. Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 19 were injured in a terrorist attack in south Kashmir's Anantnag district last night. The bus, a bearing Gujarat registration number, was on way from Baltal to Jammu when the attack took place.

The bus was not part of the Amarnath yatra convoy and was plying after the 7 pm deadline imposed by security officials on the movement of the yatra vehicles. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up along all routes leading to the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps in Anantnag and Ganderbal districts respectively.