Breaking News
Indian Security Forces Launch Massive Hunt After Militants Kill Tourists in Kashmir Attack
Indian security forces are tearing through Jammu and Kashmir in a sprawling hunt for militants who gunned down 28 civilians, mostly tourists, in a savage attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The bloodbath, one of Kashmir’s deadliest in years, has lit a fire under the nation and put the valley’s tourism boom on shaky ground.
Key Details of the Attack
- Location: Baisaran meadow, a postcard-perfect spot 5 km from Pahalgam in Anantnag district.
- Target: Tourists chilling at a picnic spot—families on pony rides, not pilgrims heading to Amarnath.
- Method: Three to six militants in fatigues sprayed bullets at 2:45 PM, killing 28 (24 Indian tourists, two locals, two foreigners from Nepal and UAE) and wounding 17-20.
- Responsibility: The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, took credit, ranting about “demographic shifts” from non-local settlers.
Government & Security Response
- PM’s Pledge: Modi, back early from Saudi Arabia, swore the attackers “won’t get away.”
- All-Out Ops: Army, CRPF, and J&K Police are scouring forests with choppers and drones, chasing sketches of three Pakistani suspects.
- Intel: Five or six gunmen, some fresh across the Line of Control, pulled this off.
- Tourist Alert: New safety rules are out, with beefed-up patrols on Amarnath routes.
Why This Hits Hard
- Rare Bloodshed: First big tourist strike since 2017’s Amarnath bus attack, smashing a fragile calm.
- Tourism Gut-Punch: Meant to scare off visitors right before summer’s peak, after 3.5 million flocked here in 2024.
- Pakistan Shadow: Fingers point to Pakistan’s hand in arming the attackers, stirring old tensions.
Victims & Survivors’ Stories
- The Fallen: A Navy officer, an intel official, and tourists from Gujarat, Kerala, and Maharashtra were among the dead. A 58-year-old from Indore was killed; his daughter’s fighting to survive.
- Witness Chaos: A Pune survivor said the gunmen targeted Hindus, forced some to recite prayers, then fired point-blank. “We ducked behind carts,” she said. Women were let go—one told to “spread the horror.”
- Hospital Scene: The injured are packed into Srinagar’s SMHS and Anantnag’s GMC, some hanging on by a thread.
Bigger Security Stakes
- Pakistan’s Role: Talk’s swirling about Pakistan’s spy agency fueling the attackers.
- New Playbook: Militants are dodging army camps to hit soft spots like tourists for max fear.
- Political Heat: Opposition’s screaming “security collapse,” pushing for emergency talks.
Kashmir’s Tourism on the Line?
- 2024 High: 3.5 million visitors pumped life into J&K’s economy.
- Now Crashing: Bookings tanked 80% in some areas; hotels are ghost towns as cancellations pile up.
- Official Vow: J&K’s Lt Governor swears tourist zones will be locked down tight.
World’s Take
- Global Outcry: The US, EU, Russia, and Nepal slammed the attack. Trump posted he’s got India’s back against terror.
- UN Mute: India’s call to tag the attack’s planners as global terrorists hasn’t budged the UN.
- Pakistan’s Line: They sent “condolences” but swear they’re clean.
What’s Next?
- Forest Sweep: Forces are combing the Pir Panjal ranges, hunting the attackers.
- Diplomatic Jab: India might crank up pressure on Pakistan at global forums.
- Tourism Lifeline: A bailout for J&K’s travel industry is in the works.
Pahalgam’s carnage has India on edge, with security teams racing to nail the killers and save tourism’s pulse. Keep watch—this isn’t over.
