By; Kushagra Pandey

A local man has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the June 9 terror attack on a bus in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, which was carrying pilgrims to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

Identified as Hakam, 45, the suspect was arrested in Rajouri. Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohita Sharma, described this arrest as a major breakthrough in the investigation conducted about 10 days after the incident.

Sharma stated that Hakam provided logistics support to the terrorists, including food, shelter, and acting as a guide to help them reach the attack site. "Further interrogation and investigation of the case is ongoing," she added.

The attack resulted in the deaths of nine people and injuries to 41 others when the bus plunged into a gorge after being fired upon by terrorists. The victims were primarily from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

Around 50 people have been detained in connection with the investigation. The Union Home Ministry has transferred the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Earlier, the J&K police released a sketch of a suspect and offered a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to the identification of those involved. Sources indicate that the three Pakistani terrorists involved were also responsible for targeting an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch on May 4. These terrorists, trained in jungle warfare and equipped with US-made M4 carbines, are known to survive in natural caves for extended periods.

The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba group, initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later retracted their statement.

In response to the recent attacks, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in Delhi to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and preparations for the upcoming Amaranth Yatra. Shah instructed security agencies to apply the successful "area domination plan" and "zero terror plan" used in the Kashmir valley to the Jammu division, which has recently experienced a surge in terror activities.