Detailed forensic probe on to identify cause: NIA

JAMMU: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said a detailed forensic probe is continuing to identify the reason for the recent cause of a fire in a passenger bus near Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Four persons were killed and 24 others injured on Friday when a fire ripped apart the moving bus, mostly carrying devotees, near Nomai, about 3km from Katra, shortly after it left for Jammu from the base camp. A team of NIA inspected the wreckage of the bus on Saturday and collected samples during their one-and-a-half hour stay at the scene.

“NIA has extended all requisite assistance to J&K Police in the investigation of the case of passenger bus catching fire near Katra on Friday. Detailed forensic probe is continuing to identify the reasons for the cause of fire,” the agency said in a tweet.

Though the survivors spoke about a sound of an explosion, ADGP, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said initial probe does not point to use of any explosive.