Chilling new details have emerged from the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, where 26 people, including two Indian-origin foreign nationals, were killed in what is now the deadliest strike on civilians in the Valley since Pulwama in 2019. Eyewitnesses and survivors have revealed that the assailants targeted tourists based on their religion and identity. In some instances, male victims were reportedly asked to remove their trousers, and their private parts were checked to ascertain their faith. Several survivors said the attackers asked people to recite the kalma, an Islamic declaration of faith, before opening fire.
A woman tourist, who survived the carnage, told police in a distress call that the gunmen approached her husband after spotting wedding bangles (choora) on her wrists, suspecting them to be Hindu. “He asked my husband’s name and religion. Then he shot him,” she said, sobbing. Another witness reported that the terrorists indiscriminately fired more than 50 rounds, with the firing lasting between 3 to 5 minutes. Most victims were shot at close range.
The attack occurred in the picturesque Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam—a region often dubbed the “mini-Switzerland of India” and accessible only by trek or horseback. Rescue operations were complicated by the rugged terrain, but helicopters and local pony handlers were swiftly mobilized to evacuate the wounded.
According to officials, 25 of those killed were tourists, while one was a local resident. Several others were seriously injured and admitted to Anantnag District Hospital. Among the dead were also two Indian-origin foreign nationals.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the ambush. Security forces, including the Army’s Victor Force, J&K Police's Special Operations Group, CRPF and Special Forces, have launched a massive counter-terror operation in the region.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar shortly after the attack and chaired a high-level security meeting with top officials from the Army, CRPF, and local police. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia, condemned the "heinous" act and pledged that those responsible "will not be spared."
This targeted attack has triggered widespread shock and condemnation both within India and internationally, and led to heightened security alerts across several major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Amritsar.
