Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday denounced the truck attack in New Orleans, United States, where 15 people lost their lives.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack in New Orleans. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May they find strength and solace as they heal from this tragedy,” Modi posted on X.
The incident involved a US Army veteran, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas resident, who carried out the attack while displaying an Islamic State flag. Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s Eve revelers on Wednesday, then emerged from the vehicle and opened fire before being fatally shot by law enforcement.
The FBI indicated that Jabbar might not have acted alone, stating, “We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible.”
The attack began at around 3:15 am (0915 GMT) near Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, an area bustling with people celebrating the arrival of 2025. Jabbar drove a rented white Ford F-150 electric pickup truck at high speed into pedestrians. Two homemade bombs found at the scene were safely neutralized by authorities.
“This individual was determined to inflict as much harm as possible,” said New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. “He was driving with intent, at very high speed, causing the carnage and devastation we witnessed.”
Also read | Delhi Welcomes 2025 with Traffic Jams and Crowded Metro Stations | Video
Explosion in Las Vegas
In a separate incident, an explosion occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, involving a Tesla Cybertruck, which killed one person.
Both vehicles used in the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks were reportedly rented through the same platform, Turo.
“These incidents appear likely to be acts of terrorism. Both the Cybertruck in Las Vegas and the F-150 in New Orleans were rented from Turo. There could be a connection,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X.
For more such latest updates, click here.
(Inputs from AFP)
