Karnataka businessman, 2 foreigners among 26 killed
Srinagar, April 22: In one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, 26 people, including two foreigners, were killed and 20 others injured when gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam, Anantnag district, on Tuesday. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility.
Eyewitnesses reported that unidentified militants fired indiscriminately at close range as tourists were returning from the scenic spot, accessible only by foot or pony. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals, with several in critical condition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take swift and appropriate action. Shah, along with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has left for Pahalgam to oversee a high-level security review. PM Modi also expressed deep condolences and condemned the “cowardly and barbaric act.”
Preliminary intelligence suggests the attackers infiltrated from Kishtwar and navigated the mountainous terrain through Kokernag to reach the remote site. The difficult geography may have aided their undetected movement.
Political leaders across the spectrum condemned the attack. President Droupadi Murmu called it “shocking and painful,” while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi labeled it “cowardly” and demanded immediate justice.
Security forces have launched a massive manhunt in the region. As authorities investigate the breach, concerns over tourist safety and rising militancy in the valley have intensified.
The attack comes amid growing international interest in Kashmir tourism and may have lasting repercussions on the region’s security environment and economy. Meanwhile, a businessman from Shivamogga district in Karnataka was shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, his family said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condoled Manjunath Rao’s demise. (Agencies)
