A
devastating terrorist attack unfolded in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Jammu
and Kashmir, claiming the lives of at least 28 civilians
and injuring over 20 others. a popular tourist destination, where militants
opened fire on a group of tourists. The victims
included 24 Indian tourists from various states, two locals, and two foreign
nationals from Nepal and the United Arab Emirates among the deceased were a
26-year-old Indian Navy officer and an Intelligence Bureau official.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers, dressed in military-style uniforms,
targeted non-Muslim visitors, sparing some to "narrate the horrors"
to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The assault is considered
the deadliest on civilians in the region since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
In
response to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his overseas
trip and returned to India, assuring that those responsible would be brought to
justice. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the victims' families and
stated, "Bharat will not bend to terror." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized that the government
would take every necessary step to trace and punish both the perpetrators and
their conspirators. The attack has sparked nationwide mourning and heightened
security measures across India, with states like Punjab issuing red alerts and
intensifying checks at interstate crossings . The
Supreme Court of India observed a two-minute silence to honor the victims
. The incident has also led to a mass exodus of tourists
from the region, dealing a significant blow to Kashmir's tourism industry,
which had been recovering in recent years.
This incident marks one of the deadliest
attacks on civilians in the region in recent years, raising concerns over the
security situation and the impact on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.