Jammu and Kashmir: 26 killed as militants open fire at tourists in Pahalgam

Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon killing at least 26 people mostly tourists in the deadliest attack in the valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019 The deceased included two foreigners and two locals a highranking official said without getting into detailsThe incident occurred at around 3 pm when terrorists came down from the mountain in Baisaran valley and started firing at the tourists who frequent the place which is often dubbed as lsquomini Switzerlandrsquo because of its long lush green meadowsThe toll is still being ascertained Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said while describing the terror attack as ldquomuch larger than anything wersquove seen directed at civilians in recent yearsrdquoArmed terrorists came into the grassland dubbed ldquomini Switzerlandrdquo and started firing at tourists milling around eateries taking pony rides or picnicking officials and eyewitnesses saidAs news of the attack spread The Resistance Front TRF a shadow group of the banned Pakistanbased LashkareTaiba LeT terror group claimed responsibilityThe officials said it was possible members of the terror group crossed over from Kishtwar in Jammu and reached Baisaran through Kokernag in south KashmirMore than 30 persons were killed and 60 others injured in a terror attack on Amarnath base camp in Pahalgam in 2000A year later 13 persons were killed and 15 others injured in an attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Sheshnag while 11 persons were killed in another attack in 2002 in the Pahalgam areaEight pilgrims were killed in a terror attack in 2017 as they were on the way home from Amarnath shrineA tourist couple from Rajasthan was injured in a firing incident by terrorists at Yannar in Pahalgam in May last yearSecurity beefed upSecurity has been beefed up across Jammu as various outfits have called for protests on Wednesday to condemn a deadly terror attack on tourists in south Kashmirrsquos Pahalgam tourist resort officials saidOfficials said a highlevel security meeting jointly chaired by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti is underway at the Police Control Room here to chalk out a strategy to deal with the situationAdditional police and paramilitary forces have already been deployed in sensitive areas as a precautionary measure to maintain peace and law and order they saidEmergency helplineJammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday set up a roundtheclock emergency helpline to assist tourists in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attackldquoA 24x7 emergency help desk has been established by Anantnag district administration for tourists requiring assistance or information Tourists can contact 01932222337 7780885759 9697982527 or 6006365245 for information or assistancerdquo an official spokesperson saidHe said an emergency control room has been established in Srinagar as well Tourists can contact 01942457543 01942483651 or 7006058623 for assistance on the Pahalgam terror incident he saidPM Modi condemnsPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that those behind the heinous act will be brought to justice In a post on X the prime minister said ldquoThey terrorists will not be spared Their evil agenda will never succeed Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even strongerrdquoAnguished Shah reaches SrinagarUnion Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar to review security situation in Kashmir following the terrorist attack ldquoAnguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam JampK My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequencesrdquo Shah saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params