The agencies suspect the involvement of five to six people in the attack, including foreign terrorists (FTs) of Pakistani origin and that it was preplanned.
Published Apr 23, 2025 | 9:37 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 23, 2025 | 3:48 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened an emergency meeting. (DD News)
Synopsis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting at the Delhi airport to analyse the terror attack in Pahalgam. Meanwhile, the government has been making flight arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims to their native places.
Following the terror attack that killed at least 26 people in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short the programmes and returned to India and held the meeting at the Delhi airport.
The attack marks one of the deadliest targeting of civilians in India in recent times. At least 28 people, most of them tourists, are feared to have been killed.
The attack took place in the picturesque Baisaran Valley in Anantnag district – popularly known as “mini-Switzerland” for its alpine meadows – sending shockwaves across the region. Several others are also injured, and according to a report by The Hindu, the death toll is likely to rise.
Meanwhile, the government has been making flight arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims to their native places.
At least three people from Karnataka, an Intelligence Bureau officer posted in Hyderabad in Telangana, a naval officer posted in Kochi in Kerala, and another civilian from Kochi were among those killed in the attack.
Manjunath Rao, 47, a resident of Shivamogga, was on vacation with his wife Pallavi and their 18-year-old son when militants opened fire on a crowd of nearly 2,000 tourists at the popular hill station.
Bharat Bhushan, a 41-year-old diagnostic technician from Karnataka, and Madhusudan from Bengaluru are among the confirmed victims. Bhushan’s wife, Sujatha, 37, and their son survived.
Manish Ranjan, an Intelligence Bureau officer originally from Bihar and posted in Hyderabad, Telangana, was also shot dead. He was on vacation with his family.
N Ramachandran, a native of Edappally near Kochi, was on a tour with his wife, daughter and two granddaughters when he was shot by the terrorists. Vinay Narwal, a naval officer posted in Kochi, was on a honeymoon trip with his wife when he was killed. The couple got married on 16 April.
A retired SBI employee, JS Chandramouli of Visakhapatnam, who was on a tour with his wife and others, also lost his life in the attack.
Following the attack, the Resistance Front — a part of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — took responsibility of the shooting on tourists.
Intelligence agencies identified Saifullah Kasuri alias Khalid, a top LeT commander, and two POK-based operatives as the masterminds of the massacre, reported India Today.
The agencies suspect the involvement of five to six people in the attack, including foreign terrorists (FTs) of Pakistani origin and that it was preplanned. Two foreigners are also among those killed by the terrorists.
Leaders across political lines, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, strongly condemned the terror attack.
Following the attack, religious and social leaders in Jammu & Kashmir called for a hartal in the state.
