When Terror Struck Amarnath Yatra, Driver Sheikh Gafoor Saved 51 Lives

New Delhi: Terrorism does not have a religion. Neither does a hero. The Amarnath Yatra terror attack, which left seven dead and 19 injured, too saw an act of valour which has earned the Sheikh Salim Gafoor plaudits and gratitude from many quarters.

Talking to reporters, the driver Sheikh Salim Gafoor said, “The firing started around 8 pm. There was continuous firing but I kept on driving. I didn’t get injured but people around me did. God gave me the strength to keep moving and I did not stop." Gafoor drove the bus for a kilometre even after it came under attack.

A CRPF officer told News18, “The assailants tried to kill the bus driver but they missed him several times. The driver showed a presence of mind to keep driving till he reached Khanabal and saved many lives," said the officer.

Gafoor arrived in Surat along with a 57 other victims from Monday's attack, including 7 deceased, 19 injured, and 32 other pilgrims. They were airlifted from Srinagar Technical Airport in a C130 Hercules at 10 am, they reached around 1 pm.

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, who was at the airport to receive them, said, “I want to thank the bus driver for saving the lives of people even when the firing was on. Will nominate his name for the bravery award." The CM also announced Rs 10 lakh for the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for those injured in the attacks.

The pilgrims were from Gujarat and attacked by terrorists in Anantnag at 8:20 pm. Among the worshipers who succumbed to bullet injuries, two are from Valsad, two from Dharampur, two from Pardi and one from Vansda.

"Seventeen pilgrims were traveling from Baltal to Mir Bazar when they were fired upon. Two pilgrims died on the spot," said a senior CRPF officer. "Troops of our 90 battalion and 40 battalion have been rushed to the spot," the officer added.

Terrorists first attacked the combined checkpoint of STF, SOG and CRPF in Khannabal at around 8:15 pm, and ran towards Batingu. No loss of life or injury was reported. The terrorists, then, targeted the bus carrying pilgrims, killing six of them, and escaped running towards Arwani area. They opened fire on the camp of G/90 battalion while running away from the spot.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement, informed that terrorists initially targeted the police bunker in Batigu. There was a retaliatory fire from the police, and there was no report of any injuries. Thereafter, the terrorists fired on a police checkpoint near Khannabal, the CM said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was responsible for the attack on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, which has been denied by the group.

“There is a LeT hand behind the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district where seven yatris were killed and 19 were injured. Investigation is still going on. Security has been reviewed," the IG Kashmir said.

Meanwhile, LeT condemned the attack on the pilgrims and called it a ‘reprehensible’ and ‘un-Islamic’ attack.

LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said, “Islam does not allow violence against any faith. We strongly condemn such acts."