Stone pelters target school bus in Kashmir's Shopian, two students injured

In a cowardly act, stone pelters on Wednesday attacked a school bus in militant-infested Shopian district of South Kashmir. The bus was carrying close to 35 students.

In a cowardly act, stone pelters on Wednesday attacked a school bus in militant-infested Shopian district of South Kashmir. The bus was carrying close to 35 students.

SRINAGAR: In a cowardly act, stone pelters on Wednesday attacked a school bus in militant-infested Shopian district of South Kashmir. The bus was carrying close to 35 students. Two children were injured in the attack. Aclass 2 student has suffered a head injury. The child, identified as Rehan Gorsai, was referred to SMHS Hospital where doctors attending on him stated his condition to be stable. The incident took place in Zawoora village. The incident evoked a sharp reaction from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. She said perpetrators of this act will be brought to justice soon. "Shocked and angered to hear of the attack on a school bus in Shopian. The perpetrators of this senseless and cowardly act will be brought to justice," Mehbooba tweeted.

Shocked & angered to hear of the attack on a school bus in Shopian. The perpetrators of this senseless & cowardly act will be brought to justice.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 2, 2018

Former Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack. "How does pelting stones on school children or tourist buses help advance the agenda of these stone pelters? These attacks deserve our unequivocal condemnation & this tweet is mine," Omar said.

How does pelting stones on school children or tourist buses help advance the agenda of these stone pelters? These attacks deserve our unequivocal condemnation & this tweet is mine. https://t.co/cncux82E6k

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 2, 2018

Director General of Police S P Vaid termed the incident as "complete madness". "Complete madness how stone pelters are targeting young school children. These criminals will face the law," PTI quoted Vaid as saying.

Few miscreants gheraoed the school bus and hurled stones at it, one student injured. The area has been sanitised, search for stone pelters is underway and they will be arrested soon: Shailendra Kumar, SSP, Shopian on the incident of stones pelted at a school bus in J&K's Kanipora pic.twitter.com/BMIQrK91eY

— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2018

National Conference spokesman Junaid Mattu also condemned the act. "One would expect (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani and Mirwaiz (Umer Farooq) to take a conscientious call and condemn stone pelting while reserving the right to espouse their political ideologies through non-violence. You can't claim the moral high ground while refusing to condemn this unequivocally," PTI quoted Mattu as saying.