Dec. 13 (UPI) — Militants opened fire on a police bus in Indian-administered Kashmir on Monday, killing two police officers and injuring 14 others, local officials said.
Police said an offshoot of the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group was to blame for the attack near the largest city in the region, Srinagar.
Authorities said the militants tried to board a bus carrying the police officers back to their base. The militants then opened fire on the occupants of the bus before fleeing.
Those injured were transported to the army’s 92 Base Hospital in Badamibagh.
The Indian Express reported it’s the first major attack on police in the region since India ended the special autonomous status for the Muslim-majority region, bringing it under the power of New Delhi in 2019.
India and Pakistan each control parts of Kashmir, leading to conflict between the two nations.
The New York Times reported the attack happened in an area highly guarded by Indian security. It comes three days after an attack on officers patrolling in northern Kashmir.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an investigation into Monday’s attack.
“He has also expressed condolences to the families of those security personnel who have been martyred in the attack,” his office said in a tweet.
