The Centre has handed over the probe into the June 9 attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), people familiar with the development said on Monday.
The decision, officials said, was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday, in which he directed the army, paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies to “replicate the successes achieved in Kashmir valley against terrorism” in the Jammu region.
The federal agency is learnt to have registered its own first information report (FIR) after taking over probe from Jammu and Kashmir police.
Terrorists opened fire at the 53-seater bus, on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, causing it to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge near the Teryath village of the Poni area on June 9.
The bus was ferrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Nine people were killed while 42 received injuries in the incident.
Officials said the NIA will look into a larger conspiracy in the attack, with its possible link to three other subsequent attacks last Tuesday and Wednesday in Kathua and Doda.
J&K police is learnt to have interrogated several people in last one week including those who may have supported the terrorists.
The home minister on Sunday also stressed on the importance of using modern technology to strengthen local intelligence networks, locate tunnels used by terrorists and deal with the drone intrusions, underlining that security forces and intelligence agencies need to work on “mission mode” and streamline coordination.
