Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday registered an FIR against a hotel in Pahalgam for allegedly violating immigration and foreigner-related laws by failing to report the stay of foreign nationals, including 19 British citizens. Hotels are mandatorily required to submit the online ‘Form C’, which is used for the registration of foreign guests.
According to the police, during a routine inspection in the Dehwatu area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district, it was found that 23 foreign nationals, including 19 British citizens, had checked into ‘Hotel Misty Mountains Laddi’ on the evening of March 22.
In a statement, the police said, “The hotel management deliberately concealed the stay of these guests from the Pahalgam Police Station and failed to submit the mandatory ‘Form C’. By doing so, they violated the provisions of the ‘Foreigners and Immigration Act, 2025’ and compromised prescribed security norms.”
Following this, an FIR was registered at Pahalgam Police Station under relevant sections of the law, and an investigation has been initiated.
Anantnag Police has appealed to all hotel operators to strictly comply with legal requirements related to reporting the stay of foreign nationals.
Pahalgam terror attack
Jammu and Kashmir has long been considered a sensitive region due to its history of unrest and terrorist activity. In 2025, a major terrorist attack occurred in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the Anantnag district.
On April 22, at least three armed militants carried out a deadly attack on tourists in the Baisaran Valley, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians. The victims were primarily Hindu tourists, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim pony ride operator were also among those killed.
This incident is regarded as the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is considered a proxy of the Pakistan-based, UN-designated terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.
