PM Modi Cuts Short Saudi Visit, Calls Urgent Security Meet Over Pahalgam Terror Attack

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to cut short his official visit to Saudi Arabia and return to India immediately in response to the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, government sources confirmed on Tuesday.

Originally scheduled to return on Wednesday night, the Prime Minister will now depart for India on Tuesday night. Sources also said that PM Modi skipped the official state dinner hosted by the Saudi government, underlining the gravity of the situation back home.

In light of the incident, the Prime Minister has called for an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the government’s highest decision-making body on matters of national security. The meeting is expected to assess the situation and outline immediate countermeasures to deal with the crisis in the Valley.

The attack, which took place in the scenic Baisaran Valley near the tourist town of Pahalgam, has left the nation in shock. Several tourists were killed, and many others — including both tourists and locals — sustained injuries when terrorists opened fire around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. According to initial reports, two to three terrorists dressed in army fatigues arrived in the area and indiscriminately fired at horse-riding tourists. The remote meadow is only accessible by foot or on horseback, being 3 to 4 km from the main Pahalgam market.

Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Modi took to X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected.”

In a firm warning to the perpetrators, he added, “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared. Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and will only grow stronger.”

Shortly after the attack, the Prime Minister spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, directing him to ensure that stringent steps are taken to contain the situation and catch the attackers. Following the conversation, Shah announced his immediate travel to Srinagar to assess the ground situation. He will chair a high-level security review meeting with top officials in the region.

Expressing his anguish, Shah also posted on X, stating, “Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared. We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences.”

Security forces have since launched a massive manhunt in and around the Baisaran area to locate and neutralize the terrorists responsible. The incident has drawn strong condemnation from across the political spectrum and raised urgent questions about the safety of civilians in the Valley’s tourism belt.