GRUESOME: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving

Srinagar, Apr 22: In one of the most fatal and hit-and-run terror strikes in Kashmir in recent times, at least 26 persons, mostly tourists including two foreign nationals, one likely an Israeli and one Italian and an Indian Navy officer were killed and 12 others injured when heavily armed terrorists fired at a group of visitors in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam in south Kashmirís Anantnag district on Tuesday afternoon.

The attack has shocked the nation, with political leadership condemning it strongly and security forces launching a full-fledged anti-terror operation.

ìTwenty-six persons have been killed,î a top J&K Police officer camping in the area told Greater Kashmir. ìTwelve persons are injured and they have minor injuries.î

The top officer said that a local from Hapatnar village was also killed.

Further, we are identifying the dead,he said.

Reports quoting Defence officials said that an Indian Navy officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal has also been killed in the attack.

The Pahalgam attack took place at about 2:40 pm, when a large contingent of tourists ó most of them on horseback and accompanied by local pony operators - were relishing the picturesque Baisaran meadows, popularly referred to as Kashmir's ëMini Switzerland.

Terrorists suddenly emerged around them and opened fire at random, eyewitnesses told officials. Women, children, seniors, and groups of tourists from Maharashtra and Gujarat were among those killed.î

The officer said that an anti-terror operation has been launched to neutralise terrorists.

ìThe perpetrators of the attack will have to pay a very heavy price for their heinous act and security forces are on the job,î he said.

Official sources said that people were having fun in the meadows when the firing started.

ìThe people around told us that it was absolute chaos ñ people screaming, tumbling off horses, attempting to run,î said a middle-rung Police officer. ìAfter the incident, some pony handler assisted in rescuing several injured individuals.î

Footage from the scene depicted bodies lying on the ground, bloodied clothing and frantic wails from relatives and witnesses.

Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, and CRPF moved in towards the far-flung area soon after getting distress calls.

ìThe rugged terrain and narrow access routes that can be traversed only on foot or horseback created big challenges for rescue as well as combing operations,î the Police officer said.

The victims were evacuated on makeshift stretchers and transported to the town area, from where ambulances took them to Anantnag and Srinagar hospitals. Seriously injured victims were airlifted to SKIMS Soura and AIIMS Awantipora, officials said. Doctors said the majority of the injuries were to the upper body, indicating a clear intent to kill.

"All the hospitals in south and central Kashmir have been placed on high alert," health officials said. "The death toll can increase, as some of the victims are in a critical condition."

Officials in the security establishment believe that the modus operandi ñ ambush in camouflage in a secluded area - is a replica of the Rajouri and Reasi-style terror attacks witnessed earlier this year.

This was a specific attack to cause maximum civilian casualties and panic,î security establishment officials said.

All entry and exit points to Pahalgam have been closed off.

Drones and thermal imaging equipment have been employed in the massive manhunt that is ongoing for the attackers who are believed to have escaped into surrounding forest ridges.

The families of the deceased and injured have been put in Pahalgam Club amid tight security.

Most of the injured were airlifted.

Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat returned from Srinagar International Airport the moment news of the attack broke.

The DGP was in Kashmir for four days and had planned to return to Jammu.

After his return, DGP Prabhat flew to Pahalgam to take stock of the situation. However, he had to return to Srinagar in the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shahís Srinagar visit.

In the aftermath of the attack, Shah arrived in Srinagar late in the evening.

He had already talked to CM Omar Abdullah as well as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, asking them to intensify the security grid, particularly prior to the Amarnath Yatra that is scheduled to start on July 3.

During his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting, where he gave orders for the complete eradication of terrorism with a special focus on the Jammu division.

He also gave directions to ensure zero tolerance for infiltration.

One of the central pilgrimage routes begins from Pahalgam - now under increased danger because of this attack.

Tourist traffic in Pahalgam has been suspended, and all hotels and guesthouses have been closed. Tourists and residents have been instructed to stay indoors.

The attack occurred when Kashmir was experiencing a boom in tourism, with lakhs of visitors thronging the Valley during the first quarter of 2025.

This is one the deadliest terror attack in Jammu and Kashmirís history after Pulwama when at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed after a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a security convoy in south Kashmirís Pulwama district in February 2019.

The attack had taken place on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway near Lethpora, as a convoy of over 70 vehicles carrying more than 2500 personnel was moving towards Srinagar.

The suicide bomber, identified as a local Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist, drove his SUV packed with explosives into a bus carrying CRPF personnel, causing a massive explosion.

That marked the worst attack on security forces in J&K since the insurgency began in 1989. The incident triggered widespread outrage across the country, leading to air strikes in PoK.

Vacation turns to horror

Vinu, a 62-year-old tourist from Gujarat, lied wounded in GMC Anantnag after surviving a deadly attack at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam.

What began as a peaceful vacation turned tragic when gunfire erupted just as his group of 20 was about to enter the scenic site, often called Kashmirís ìMini Switzerland.î

Bullets rained down, sending tourists fleeing in panic.

Vinu was shot in the elbow amid the chaos.

Local pony handlers and guides risked their lives to rescue the injured, transporting them to safety.

Six other tourists, including ENT surgeon Dr Parvesh Verma from Mumbai, sustained serious gunshot wounds.

Two women were injured while running.

As survivors recover, locals have gathered outside the hospital, offering blood donations and support.

ìIt was a bloodbath, said Verma's wife, echoing the shock and horror that turned a serene meadow into a site of terror. The fate of some group members remains unknown.