Diplomat Correspondent
Pahalgam, (DD)In a horrifying act of terrorism, 26 people—mostly tourists—were killed and at least 20 others injured when gunmen opened fire at Baisaran, a scenic meadow near Pahalgam, on Tuesday afternoon. Among the dead were two foreign nationals and two local residents. Officials called it the deadliest civilian attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
The attack occurred around 3 PM, as Baisaran, known as “Mini Switzerland” for its picturesque beauty, was bustling with tourists taking pony rides, picnicking, and relaxing amid pine forests and rolling grasslands.
Eyewitnesses described utter chaos. “My husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack,” said a woman survivor over phone, pleading for urgent help. Another tourist added, “There was nowhere to run. The meadow is wide open. People just dropped to the ground and screamed.”
Some survivors alleged that the terrorists asked victims for their names before shooting. The tourists came from several states including Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. One of the victims was Manjunath Rao, a businessman from Shivamogga, Karnataka.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. Preliminary intelligence suggests the attackers may have crossed into Baisaran from Kishtwar via Kokernag in south Kashmir.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah condemned the attack, writing on X: “Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased. 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 also confirmed that he briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would be reaching Srinagar for an urgent security review.
Prime Minister Modi, currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, also expressed his grief: “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice. Their evil agenda will never succeed.”
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the attack was “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” and added, “I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators are inhuman and worthy of the strongest condemnation.”
The Jammu and Kashmir administration mobilized the full police force and deployed Army and CRPF units. Choppers were flown in to evacuate the injured from the remote meadow, accessible only by foot or horseback. Emergency control rooms were set up in Anantnag and Srinagar.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s office stated: “Entire nation is angry and the blood of our forces is boiling. I assure the nation that perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack will pay a very heavy price for their heinous act.”
National Conference MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani called the incident “cowardly,” saying the attack on innocents was against the teachings of Islam.
This attack is reminiscent of past tragedies in the region. In 2000, over 30 people were killed in an attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Pahalgam. The next two years saw similar strikes on religious yatris.(DD)