In a candid appearance on India TV's flagship show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’, hosted by Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha addressed critical questions surrounding the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, that left 26 civilians dead, including 25 tourists and one local. Responding to why there was no police presence in the area at the time of the attack, Sinha revealed that the leisure activities in Baisaran, including ziplining, had been started by a private operator without any official permission from the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (TDC).
"The person who provided ziplining and other activities to tourists in Baisaran was a private player. He had applied for permission but was never granted one. He did not inform the police or administration that he had started operations. For four years, there was peace in the Valley, and many small tourist spots had emerged," Sinha told Rajat Sharma during the show.
Earlier, Sinha had revealed that the attack occurred just three days after Baisaran was unofficially reopened by this operator. He described the strike, carried out by Pakistani terrorists after reconnaissance, as “an assault on India’s soul.” Despite the tragedy, he pointed to a positive shift: widespread civilian outrage against Pakistan and terrorism, something not seen in the Valley in years.
Tourist destinations that were closed after the attack are being reopened gradually with increased security measures. However, Baisaran remains shut due to the ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra and the lack of a road leading directly to the site. Sinha confirmed that the perpetrators were Pakistani nationals, with the NIA currently handling the investigation.
Emphasising that foreign infiltration remains the last area of concern, Sinha noted that local recruitment for terror groups has drastically reduced, from 125–150 annually to just one this year. He highlighted India's strong retaliatory stance through Operation Sindoor, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that any future terror attack will be treated as an act of war.
Reflecting on his five-year tenure as LG, Sinha outlined achievements including restored law and order, the end of hartals, the resurgence of cinema and education, and record job transparency. He noted that over 40,000 government jobs were provided, alongside major growth in the tourism and self-employment sectors. “Tourists are returning, and with four lakh Amarnath pilgrims expected, they will go back as our peace ambassadors,” Sinha concluded.
