Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 22: In an act that may hit Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector, a group of terrorists linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attacked a group of tourists in Baisaran valley in southern Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday killing one tourist and injuring some 20 others.
The group named The Resistance Front, an off-shoot of LeT, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post which also included a picture of one of the injured tourists.
Security forces and medical teams have rushed to the spot and they have cordoned off the area. In a telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Union Minister Amit Shah to visit the attack site and take all suitable measures. Mr Shah will shortly leave for Srinagar to hold an urgent security review meeting with all the agencies.
Gunshots were heard in the upper meadows of Baisaran Valley, an area that is approachable only on foot or on horseback. The terrorists were apparently in camouflage and it is believed to be a targeted attack. A bloodied and injured tourist said two terrorists dressed in military fatigues opened fire at them. 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.
Security forces 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. Intelligence sources said they fear that the death toll could be in double digits and the attack could be one of the biggest terror attacks to strike Kashmir.
The attack started around 2:30pm on Tuesday afternoon as the tourists were roaming the meadows of Baisaran on horseback.
In a heart-breaking video, a woman was seen crying helplessly, pleading for her husband to be rescued. “Please save my husband, please,” she was heard saying. The man recording the video was heard trying to reassure her while trying to get more information about the situation.
Two bloodied men could be seen lying on the ground. In another video, a woman said she was eating bhelpuri when her husband was shot by a terrorist. “He (the gunman) said he was not a Muslim and shot him,” she added.
Another heavily injured man was seen, apparently in an unconscious state, while a woman near her desperately asked for help. “Sir, please please ask for help. Just ask for help,” she was heard saying to the man recording the video.
Top police sources earlier said the attack started around noon, 1430 hrs. Eyewitnesses told security forces that two to three men rushed in dressed in military fatigues, firing indiscriminately at tourists while they were enjoying the Baisaran Meadows of Pahalgam on horseback. Pahalgam, known for its forests, crystal-clear lakes and sprawling meadows, is a popular tourist spot and draws thousands of visitors every summer.
The attack comes during the peak tourist season in the Valley and also when registration for this year’s Amarnath Yatra is going on across the country. The 38-day pilgrimage is set to begin from July 3, from two routes – the 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the other 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, which is shorter but steeper.
Immediately after the attack, Mr Shah called a meeting at his home in Delhi, which was attended by Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, among others. The CRPF chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh, J&K Director General of Police Nalin Prabhatand some Army officials also joined the meeting through video conferencing.
Mr Shah also spoke to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, sources said. An anti-terror operation has been launched to neutralise terrorists, informed Mr Sinha, asserting the “perpetrators of Pahalgam attack will have to pay a very heavy price for their heinous act.”
Vowing not to spare the terrorists involved in the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia, condemned the attack on the tourists. “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest.
“All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” PM Modi said in a tweet.
Mr Modi held a telephone call with Mr Shah to take stock of the situation. The Home Minister also said those involved in the attack “will not be spared” in a social media post while extending condolences to 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. Briefed PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji about the incident and held a meeting with the concerned officials via video conferencing. Will shortly leave for Srinagar to hold an urgent security review meeting with all the agencies,” Shah said in a social media post.
Terming the attack an “abomination,” Omar Abdullah said he was “shocked beyond belief.” “The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman & worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased,” he posted on X. “Needless to say this attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” he added.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha vowed to bring those behind the “despicable attack” to justice. He said he has spoken to the director general of police and other security officials. “Directed the district administration and the health officials to provide immediate medical attention to those admitted at Pahalgam. An injured tourist has been evacuated to GMC Anantnag. I pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” he said.
During his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shah had chaired a high-level security review meeting, where he gave orders for the complete eradication of terrorism with special focus on the Jammu division. He also gave directions to ensure zero tolerance to infiltration.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the dastardly attack an “act of cowardice and highly reprehensible.” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack on tourists and said, “Such violence is unacceptable and must be denounced”.
“Historically, Kashmir has welcomed tourists warmly, making this rare incident deeply concerning. A thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and examine potential security lapses. Ensuring visitor safety is paramount, and steps must be taken to prevent future attacks,” she added. “These cowardly terrorists have targeted unarmed innocent tourists who had come to visit Kashmir,” BJP’s Ravinder Raina said.
