At least nine people were killed and 33 injured when a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims plunged into a deep gorge after a suspected militant attack in the Indian federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, police said.News of the attack came as Narendra Modi took oath as prime minister for a record-equalling third term and drew criticism from the main opposition Congress party, Reuters reported.&This shameful incident is the true picture of the worrying security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,& opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said on X.&Militants ambushed the bus& & opposition leaderThe Himalayan region, which is also claimed by Pakistan, has been roiled by militant violence since the start of an anti-Indian insurgency in 1989.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, although violence has tapered off in recent years.&Militants ambushed the bus and fired at it indiscriminately.

The bus fell into a gorge, leading to the death of 9 pilgrims, and 33 are injured,& said Mohita Sharma, district police chief of Reasi.The last major attack on Hindu pilgrims in the region happened in 2017 when a bus was targeted, killing eight people, read the report.Sunday&s attack comes a day after police chief RR Swain said the number of local militants in the territory was dropping but 70-80 foreign militants remained active.The injured have been moved to nearby hospitals and a search for the attackers has been launched, police said in a statement.A state official earlier said at least 10 pilgrims were feared dead.A forensic official inspects the bus that plunged into a gorge after being shot at by suspected militants.

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