The Pahalgam terror attack—one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years—has not only shaken the Valley but sparked nationwide outrage and international concern. Here’s a consolidated update based on emerging details:
What Happened
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Attack Details: Around 2:30 PM on Tuesday, heavily armed terrorists, disguised in army fatigues, stormed the Baisaran meadows—a popular tourist destination dubbed “Mini Switzerland.” They opened fire indiscriminately on tourists, killing at least 26 people, including two foreign nationals. Dozens more were injured in the chaos and stampede that followed.
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Execution Style: Tourists were caught completely off guard in the open terrain, which offered little to no cover. Witnesses described a scene of horror—families torn apart, people screaming and fleeing, and bodies scattered across the meadows. Local villagers rushed to help survivors until security forces and medics arrived hours later due to the difficult terrain.
Masterminds and Infiltration
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Terror Group Involved: The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), is believed to be behind the massacre. TRF has claimed responsibility in past civilian attacks as well.
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Planned by Top Commander: Intelligence agencies have identified Saifullah Kasuri alias Khalid, a senior LeT commander operating from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as one of the masterminds. He is known to be close to Hafiz Saeed, the LeT founder.
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Cross-border Infiltration: At least five to six terrorists, some of whom recently crossed the LoC, are believed to have executed the operation. The use of local informants and guides has complicated the search.
Political and National Response
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PM Modi Cuts Visit Short: Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately returned from Saudi Arabia, canceling his diplomatic engagements to chair an emergency Cabinet Committee on Security meeting early Wednesday.
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Emergency Briefing at Airport: On landing in Delhi, PM Modi was briefed by NSA Ajit Doval, EAM S. Jaishankar, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the implications and next steps.
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Justice Assured: Modi posted on X, vowing, “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared.”
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Amit Shah on the Ground: Home Minister Amit Shah, directed by PM Modi, rushed to Srinagar, chaired high-level security meetings, and interacted with survivors’ families. He reaffirmed that "no stone will be left unturned" to hunt down the terrorists.
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Opposition Reactions: Rahul Gandhi termed the attack “horrific” and called for an all-party meeting to reassess Kashmir’s security framework. Opposition parties questioned the government's earlier assertions of “normalcy in Kashmir.”
Civil Response and Ground Impact
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Bandh and School Closures: Political and civil society groups declared a valley-wide bandh on Wednesday. The Private Schools Association of J&K shut all private institutions as a mark of mourning.
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Tourism Disrupted: Tourists have been evacuated. Air India and IndiGo announced extra flights from Srinagar and waived fees for cancellations or reschedules.
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Security Crackdown: The region around Baisaran has been sealed off. Special forces are conducting a massive combing operation, and telecom data is being analyzed to identify movement or communications linked to the assailants.
This attack has not only exposed lingering security gaps in remote tourist spots but also marked a new chapter in hybrid warfare, combining foreign-trained militants with local support networks and advanced surveillance tactics like helmet cams.
