Travel Trade Fraternity expressed regret and sorrow over the demise of three local tourists in an ill-fated incident due to bursting of a cooking gas cylinder. Three women had died and six others were injured in a blast in a tourist bus in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on Saturday.

At a meeting on Saturday, the members of the tourism industry condoled the heart-rending demise of the tourists. The members prayed for their souls to rest in peace and expressed their deep sympathies with the bereaved families. The Members also wished speedy recovery to the injured as per a report in Greater Kashmir.

The Travel Trade Bodies also showed their disappointment towards the wrong reporting by few National print & electronic media wherein they had spread the erroneous news as a grenade attack. The Travel Trade Organisations also appreciated the role of Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS), for condemning the wrong reportage of few National Channels.

The tourism bodies represented at the meeting were J&K Tourism Alliance, Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Owners Federation, Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Association, House Boat Owners Association, Travel Agents Society of Kashmir, Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, Travel Agents Association of India – JK Chapter, Association of Kashmir Tour Operators, Association of Domestic Tour Operators Association [ADTOI – JK Chapter], Pahalgam Hotel & Restaurant Owners Association, All Kashmir Tourist Taxi Transporters Federation, All Kashmir Shikara Traders Association, Indian Association of Tour Operators, Urban Travel Agents Association. 

The bus had been carrying tourists from Mumbai. All the passengers had been women and were on the way to Pahalgam.