Pahalgam (Kashmir): Terrorists on Tuesday carried out a major carnage in this world famous tourist destination in Kashmir by targeting vacationers, leaving at least 28 people dead and around 10 injured.
The massive attack, suspected to have been carried out by a terror outfit based in Pakistan, came significantly at a time when US Vice President JD Vance is visiting the country.
The biggest terror attack in Kashmir since the February 2019 strike at CRPF convoy targeted tourists who were enjoying the beauty of Baisaran meadow, a picturesque but non-motorable location some kilometres away from the main town of Pahalgam at around lunch time.
According to eye-witnesses, the terrorists were 4 in number and specifically targeted the tourists from various parts of the country. They included women and children.
While there was no official word on the number of casualties, sources confirmed that at least 28 people were killed and nearly 10 injured.
The slain people included two foreigners and two locals.
A police officer said the site of the incident was not accessible by vehicles and security forces were rushed to the spot on foot.
Pallavi, a tourist from Shivamoga in Karnataka, whose 48-year-old husband Manjunath was killed in the attack, said, “It still feels like a bad dream”.
“Three to four people attacked us… I think, it happened around 1.30 pm….,” said Pallavi, who along with her husband and a minor son were here on a vacation.
“He (Manjunath) died on the spot, in front of my eyes.. I told them – kill me too. You’ve already killed my husband. One of them said, ‘I won’t kill you. Go tell this to Modi’,” she added.
Considering the gravity of the attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah rushed from Delhi to Kashmir in the evening to hold a security review meeting.
Earlier, Shah briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from today.
Both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister vowed that the perpetrators of the crime would not be spared.
Modi, in a post on X, strongly condemned the attack and said “those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice. They will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed.”
He added, “Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.”
The Prime Minister also expressed condolences to the families who lost their dear ones and said all possible assistance is being provided to those affected.
Shah, in his post on X, “Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences.”
He said he held a meeting with the officials concerned via video conferencing.
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha who oversees security and law and order in the Union Territory, said that a search operation has been launched to trace the attackers.
This is the first major terror attack in J&K since 2019.
The last major terror attack took place on February 14, 2019 when a local suicide bomber Adil Dar of Jaish-e-Mohammad rammed his explosive-laden car into CRPF bus at Lethpora Pulwama leaving 40 personnel of the force dead. The attack was followed by Balakote air strikes.
A day later Pakistan retaliated and it triggered a brief dogfight. The Pulwama attack had brought India and Pakistan at the brink of war.
In July 2017, eight pilgrims on the way from Amarnath Cave were killed and over a dozen were injured in a terror attack in south Kashmir. UNI MJR/AKK
