Pahalgam terror attack: 26 killed; Modi cuts short Saudi trip, Shah at attack site today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had reached Jeddah earlier in the day on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip and decided to return home. He is expected back early Wednesday.

Modi promised that “those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared”. He was briefed on the incident by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who later reached Srinagar to review the situation. Shah will go to the incident site Wednesday morning.

As world leaders joined India in condemning the attack, US President Donald Trump dialled Modi and, according to the Ministry of External Affairs, “expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack. India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror”.

The attack took place in the afternoon at Baisaran valley – it’s an off-road meadow a little over 6 km from Pahalgam – which was packed with tourists. Terrorists showed up and fired indiscriminately at the tourists.

A local trade leader, who did not wish to be named, said shopkeepers in Baisaran told him that three-four gunmen fired on the tourists.

“I reached Baisaran about half an hour after the incident. Bodies were scattered on the ground. There were some injured as well, and their families. They were in shock. We tried to comfort them,” he said.

He said a local ponywallah was among the dead.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the attack was “much larger than anything we have seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

“This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals – inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough,” he said.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha called it a cowardly attack and said those “behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished”.

“Anti-terror ops launched to neutralise terrorists. Entire nation is angry and blood of our forces is boiling. I want to assure the nation that perpetrators of Pahalgam attack will have to pay a very heavy price for their heinous act. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families,” Sinha said on X.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooiba Mufti, Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone and several political leaders condemned the attack. Calling it a “cowardly attack”, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said “such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir”.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit, was said to have claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Central agencies received a message which stated that domicile certificates had been issued to non-locals, and that these non-locals came posing as tourists. The message is being examined,” the source said.

Army, CRPF and police personnel rushed to Baisaran on learning of the incident. A massive anti-terror operation was launched to hunt down the terrorists.

The J&K administration set up 24×7 emergency control rooms in Anantnag and Srinagar. “Special Forces of the Army and two battalions of Rashtriya Rifles have been deployed in the search operations following the incident,” a source said.

Before boarding a special flight for Srinagar, Shah briefed the Prime Minister on the incident and held a meeting with officials via a video link.

In a post on X, Modi said, “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.”

Shah said he was “anguished by the terror attack on tourists” and “my thoughts are with 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,” he said, adding that he had briefed the Prime Minister about the incident and held a meeting with officials.

He said he would “hold an urgent security review meeting with all the agencies” in Srinagar.