In response to the recent terrorist attack in South Kashmir's Pahalgam town, the Anantnag Police have established a 24/7 Emergency Help Desk to assist tourists requiring assistance or information. The police have also launched helpline numbers for tourists.
"A dedicated help desk has been established at the Police Control Room, Anantnag to assist tourists requiring assistance or information," said police.
Emergency helpline numbers
- 9596777669
- 01932225870
- WhatsApp: 9419051940
26 feared dead and several injured, say sources
At least 26 tourists are feared dead and several injured, sources said, after terrorists struck a prime tourist location of Pahalgam in South Kashmir on Tuesday. Of the 26 individuals affected, 25 are tourists while one is a local resident. Terrorists reportedly fired over 50 rounds at the group. The number of casualties could rise.
The seriousness of the situation is evident as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have departed for Srinagar from Delhi, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to Amit Shah over the phone to take stock of the incident.
Anti-terror ops launched to neutralise terrorists
As per the latest updates, a massive counter-terror operation has been launched in response to the deadly terror attack. The operation is being carried out jointly by the Indian Army's Victor Force and Special Forces, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the CRPF. Army personnel and J-K Police teams are on the ground, while senior officers continue to gather more details about the incident.
Soon after the attack was reported, Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level meeting in Delhi with top officials from the Army and intelligence agencies to assess the situation and review the security measures. Following the meeting, Amit Shah left for Kashmir to personally oversee developments.
How did the attack happen?
Around 2:30 pm, two to three terrorists arrived at Baisaran in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and began checking the identity cards of the tourists. Shortly after, they opened indiscriminate fire. Among those present was an Army officer visiting the site with his family; he reportedly acted swiftly to protect others and took cover during the chaos. The attackers specifically asked people their names before shooting at them.