Sending the new government in Delhi a grim reminder, militants today struck in a big way when they triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) to blow up a BSF bus packed with jawans and their families, killing 28 and leaving five others seriously wounded. The IED, planted at a culvert on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, was triggered when a BSF convoy — on leave, the jawans were travelling with their families to Jammu — was passing by. Among the dead were six women and three children. The toll was expected to rise because the five injured were in a critical condition and their chances of survival appeared slim. Hizbul Mujahideen called up news agencies in Srinagar to claim responsibility for the attack, saying it was aimed to avenge the killing of its three top commanders by security forces recently. The attack took place at 10.20 am. The bus went up in flames, trapping those inside. ‘‘As of now, 28 deaths are confirmed. The five who are injured aren’t expected to survive because they are badly burnt. It’s a desperate attempt by militants to target families of jawans,’’ said K Srinivasan, DIG BSF. ‘‘We received a message at at 7.40 am that the ROP (road opening party) was in position. Our convoy left at 8.30 am. At 10.20 am, the IED fitted under the culvert exploded, destroying the bus.’’ Asked if there was a security lapse, JK IGP K Rajendra, who was on the spot, said: ‘‘It will be probed.’’ At the scene of the attack, there was a seven feet deep crater. All around was the badly mangled wreckage of the bus, splattered with blood. What moved everybody was a New Year card lying there. Written by a child, Guddu, to his father, it wished him a safe stay and happy year in the Valley. A jawan, sifting through the debris, sobbed as he picked up an embroidered shawl soaked in blood: ‘‘Kya pata iski shaadi honi wali thi (may be he planned to get married).’’ Others at the site recalled how close a call it had been for them. A mini-bus, with 17 passengers, was behind the BSF bus when the IED went off. ‘‘The IED explosion tossed the bus. The driver of the mini-bus, hit by shrapnels, couldn’t control his vehicle. He drove straight into the crater. Other than him, nobody was hurt. It was miraculous,’’ said Dalbir Singh. Army cranes and earthmovers were pressed into service to lift the twisted wreckage and fill the crater. Heavy rains in the area hampered work and a long queue of vehicles waited for the road to be cleared.
