Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has stepped up to condemn the recent terror attack on pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. In a heartfelt statement on her Instagram handle, Chopra expressed her devastation and questioned the targeting of civilians and children.
"Devastated. This heinous attack on innocent pilgrims is horrific. Why civilians and children?! It's so hard to comprehend the hatred we're witnessing around the world," she wrote on her Instagram stories.
The attack on a bus carrying pilgrims to the Shiv Khori temple, which occurred on Sunday evening, resulted in at least nine deaths and left over 33 others injured. The incident has shocked the nation and prompted an outpouring of grief and anger from various quarters, including Bollywood celebrities.
Chopra, who is also a UNICEF ambassador, has previously been vocal about her stance against violence and has raised her voice against various humanitarian crises. She was among the Hollywood stars who signed the 'Artists for Ceasefire' petition, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Last December, she shared a quote from UNICEF's Catherine Russell on her Instagram stories, advocating for the cause of children in war-torn areas.
The tragic incident on Sunday saw a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori shrine to Katra fall into a deep gorge when it reached the Pouni area of Reasi district bordering Rajouri district at around 6:10 pm. Officials reported that the bus was targeted by terrorists, leading to the catastrophic accident.
In response to the attack, the Indian Army launched a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Monday morning. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has also been deployed, and drones are being used to search the dense forest areas surrounding the incident site.
Bollywood celebrities including Riteish Deshmukh, Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Swara Bhasker and Parineeti Chopra, among others, took to social media to condemn the attack and offered their prayers for the victims.
