The attack on civilians on 22 April in Pahalgam was the worst after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Just four men were not only able to kill the innocent tourists but also run away after committing the heinous crime, leaving the nation in shock. While there have been waves of retaliation messages from every leader, the military has started a massive manhunt in the region. With several army and police personnel deployed after Home Minister Amit Shah issued the statement saying all the perpetrators, and those “behind the scenes”, will not be spared.
As per the statement of the Indian army, troops have been deployed and every checkpoint and area is being scanned thoroughly, ensuring that justice is brought to the victims and the perpetrators are punished. A local Kashmiri terror group, the Kashmir Resistance, have taken responsibility for the action, claiming that it was a result of outsiders settling in the valley. The organisation was formed after the removal of Article 370 in 2019, and has been linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The number of deaths confirmed till now is 26, where 25 nationals were Indians and one was a Nepalese. When the attack took place, the vice-president of the US was in the Indian territory where he was visiting Jaipur and Agra with his family, and PM Modi was on an official trip to Saudi Arabia, which was cut short as he returned on Wednesday. A special cabinet meeting has been called on for Wednesday evening, where further actions will possibly be discussed.
The attack is a major setback to the development and peace in the valley after the recent elections and multiple projects planned in the Union territory. The Kashmir Resistance group in a statement said that they have attacked as the group, “was not ordinary tourists; instead, they were linked to and affiliated with Indian security agencies”.
The attack has not just created rage in the entire nation but has also attacked the region’s thriving tourism industry. After the attack, tourists were seen going back to their hometowns, with large flights being operated from Srinagar airport. A taxi driver in Pahalgam, Gulzar Ahmad, said that this attack will impact the work of a lot of people, but he is more concerned about the loss of lives. Recent data have shown that tourism was at its peak in the valley with more foreign tourists coming to India, but the blot left by the attack has to be seriously investigated for the territory and the safety of the citizens.
