India - April 23, 2025

Amit Shah Arrives in Srinagar, Reviews Security Following Pahalgam Terror Attack

team maverick April 23, 2025

0 3 min read

New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Monday evening to take stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, mostly of tourists.

Immediately after landing, Shah headed straight from the airport to Raj Bhavan, where he was briefed by Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat. Also present during the high-level briefing were Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka.

According to officials, Shah is expected to chair a top-level security meeting later and is likely to visit Pahalgam on Wednesday to assess the ground situation.

The horrifying attack occurred Tuesday afternoon in the scenic Baisaran Valley, a lush meadow about six kilometers from Pahalgam town, popular with domestic and international tourists. Gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on visitors enjoying pony rides, food stalls, and picnics in what has become the deadliest assault on civilians in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack.

The victims include two foreigners and two local residents, though the final death toll is yet to be confirmed. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called it “the most brutal attack on civilians we’ve witnessed in recent years.”

Eyewitnesses described chaos and panic as gunmen stormed the meadow, often referred to as “mini Switzerland” for its natural beauty. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the carnage.

Security agencies believe that the attackers may have infiltrated from Kishtwar in Jammu and reached Baisaran via Kokernag in south Kashmir. A massive search operation has been launched to trace the perpetrators.

The shocking incident has drawn widespread condemnation, and heightened security measures are now being implemented across tourist destinations in the Valley.