Prime Minister Narendra Modi is cutting short his visit to Saudi Arabia following the deadly terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, sources said Tuesday.
He is expected to leave Jeddah tonight and land in India early Wednesday morning, given the 2.5-hour time difference.
The decision comes amid national mourning, with at least 26 dead and several injured in what is being called the deadliest such attack in the Valley this year.
Within hours of the incident, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also left for Srinagar. Before boarding a special flight from New Delhi, Shah briefed the Prime Minister and held a high-level meeting with officials via video link. He is scheduled to visit the attack site Wednesday morning.
Earlier, condemning the attack 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.”
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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2025
Shah tto expressed his condolence, in a post on X, he said “anguished by the terror attack on tourists” and “my thoughts are with the family members of the deceased”.
According to sources, terrorists opened fired at tourists in Baisaran, an off-the-road meadow in Pahalgam. The injured have been rushed to hospital.
“Our reports say that two-three militants appeared and opened indiscriminate fire at the tourists at Baisaran,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express. “The initial reports we have suggest that eight tourists were injured in the attack. A few of them are in critical condition,” the officer said.
Soon after the attack, a joint team of police, Army, and paramilitary forces rushed to the spot to evacuate the injured tourists and launch a search operation to track down the militants responsible.
Baisaran, which is accessible only by foot, is a popular tourist destination and is crowded during the tourist season.
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India has strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent military actions along the Afghan border, accusing Islamabad of sheltering and sponsoring terrorist organisations amid escalating tensions between the two neighbours. At a press briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also underlined New Delhi’s support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence.
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