The tragic terrorist attack at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir has sent shockwaves across the country. The assault, which resulted in the deaths of 26 innocent tourists, is one of the rare but deeply disturbing incidents targeting civilians in the region.
A photo accessed by India Today shows one of the attackers, dressed in a grey kurta pajama, holding an AK-47, highlighting the brutality of the incident. This gunman, captured from behind, is believed to be part of the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has claimed responsibility for this heinous act.
The attack took place at around 2:30 pm on Tuesday, amid a bustling day at Baisaran, popularly referred to as ‘mini Switzerland’, known for attracting large numbers of tourists. Eyewitness accounts describe sheer panic, with gunfire erupting in an open grassland, leaving visitors with nowhere to take cover. Local residents tried to help, but the carnage was overwhelming.
In the aftermath:
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, cut his trip short and returned to Delhi by Wednesday morning. He strongly condemned the attack and assured that “the attackers will not be spared.”
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Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level security meeting and is expected to visit Pahalgam personally to assess the situation on the ground.
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J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the massacre an “abomination,” while former CM Mehbooba Mufti echoed the sentiment, urging unified condemnation of such violence.
As of now, search operations are underway in full force, with security personnel combing the region to apprehend the attackers. Intelligence and counter-terrorism units have been mobilized, and officials warn that the use of TRF branding indicates an evolving and complex terror strategy by LeT, using proxy outfits to obscure direct links.
The nation is in mourning, and tributes are pouring in for the victims and their families. This attack has reignited concerns about security in tourist regions of J&K, which had seen a period of relative calm and increasing footfall in recent years.
