Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 22: In one of the worst terror attacks in the recent history of India, at least 27 tourists, including two foreign nationals, were killed and scores of others injured in indiscriminate firing by a bunch of terrorists linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on a group of tourists in Baisaran valley in southern Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon.
The group named “The Resistance Front,” an off-shoot of LeT, claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post which also included a picture of one of the injured tourists.
A bloodied and injured tourist said two terrorists dressed in military fatigues opened fire at them. Top intelligence sources said 4 to 6 terrorists were involved in the Pahalgam attack, including three foreign nationals and one local from Kashmir. M4 and AK-47 bullets were recovered from the site.
The visibly distraught and injured tourists were brought to a nearby hospital for treatment. Women and elderly were among the group of tourists attacked. One tourist succumbed to the injuries while being rushed for treatment.
At least two foreign nationals were among those killed in the terrorist attack. Security forces have been rushed to the spot and they have cordoned off the area. They have also launched a combing operation while exercising caution as intelligence sources said there were concerns that security forces could be lured into a trap.
Military choppers have been pressed into service for the evacuation of those injured in the attack, as the area is only accessible on foot or horseback. Union Minister Amit Shah has left for Srinagar to hold an urgent security review meeting with all the agencies. He headed for the Union Territory after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him and asked him to visit the attack site.
Gunshots were heard in the upper meadows of Baisaran Valley, a meadow atop a hill, in Pahalgam. Witnesses said terrorists walked out of the woods and started firing indiscriminately. The attack started around 2:30pm on Tuesday afternoon as the tourists were roaming the meadows of Baisaran on horseback.