Team Goemkarponn
SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday visited the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the site of a brutal terror attack that left at least 26 tourists dead and several others injured a day earlier.
Shah flew to the location via helicopter after participating in a wreath-laying ceremony for the victims at the Police Control Room in Srinagar.
During his visit, senior security officials briefed him on the circumstances surrounding the attack, which is being described as one of the deadliest in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The attack occurred Tuesday afternoon in the scenic Pahalgam area of Anantnag district—long celebrated for its peaceful atmosphere and popularity among visitors. Officials confirmed that the majority of the victims were tourists.
The Home Minister, who reached Srinagar late Tuesday night just hours after the attack chaired a high-level security meeting with top officials, including Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor and the Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat.
In a strong statement, Shah condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would face strict consequences. “The perpetrators of this cowardly act will not be spared,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also denounced the violence, calling it a “heinous act.” He cut short a state visit to Saudi Arabia to return to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, where he convened an urgent meeting with key national security and foreign policy officials, including NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
“Our resolve to fight terrorism is unwavering,” the Prime Minister said in a statement posted on X. “The evil forces behind this attack will be brought to justice.”
Political parties and trade bodies across the Kashmir Valley united in mourning, declaring a complete shutdown on Wednesday to express solidarity with the victims’ families and to protest the attack.
Authorities have intensified security operations in the region, and investigations are underway to identify and apprehend those behind the strike.
