Authorities have confirmed that at least nine individuals lost their lives and 33 others sustained injuries after a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Indian-administered Kashmir went off a cliff due to an alleged shooting attack.

The incident took place on Sunday near the town of Reasi, within the disputed region, as the bus was en route back from a renowned Hindu shrine in the locality.

“The bus was ambushed and fired upon by militants indiscriminately, causing it to plunge into a ravine. This resulted in nine deaths and injuries to 33 pilgrims,” stated Mohita Sharma, the police chief of Reasi district, during a press briefing.

She further mentioned that the rescue efforts were concluded and the wounded were shifted to Narayana Hospital and the District Hospital in Reasi.

No group has immediately taken responsibility for the assault.

The bus was ferrying pilgrims to the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi Hindu temple when it was attacked, as per senior administrative officer Vishesh Mahajan.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of India’s Opposition Congress party, denounced the “barbaric terror attack” in a social media post.

He criticized Modi’s claims of having achieved peace and normalcy, labeling them as insincere.

The Himalayan region, also contested by Pakistan, has seen extensive violence since an armed insurgency began in 1989, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities, although recent years have seen a decrease in violent incidents.

India often accuses Pakistan of backing and arming militants in Kashmir, accusations which Islamabad denies.

The last major attack on Hindu pilgrims in the area occurred in 2017 when a bus attack resulted in eight deaths.

This most recent attack happened just a day after police chief RR Swain remarked that the number of local combatants in the region was decreasing though 70-80 foreign militants remained active.

Additionally, both violence and anti-India demonstrations have significantly reduced since 2019 following the revocation of the region’s limited autonomy by Modi’s government.

No separatist groups called for a boycott of the recently completed general election, marking a first since the armed conflict began. The region's voter turnout was recorded at 58.6 percent, per India’s election commission, a notable increase from 2019 and the highest in 35 years.