The atmosphere in the country remains charged as bodies of the victims reach their home states. Emotional farewells from grieving families and communities underscore the deep scar left by the attack
Published Apr 24, 2025 | 4:06 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 24, 2025 | 4:06 PM
PM Modi vows severe retribution for Pahalgam terror attack
Synopsis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed retribution for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, calling it a “cowardly and inhuman act.” Speaking at a rally in Bihar on 24 April, Modi promised that every terrorist and their backers would be punished “beyond their imagination,” asserting that terrorism would never break India’s spirit or go unpunished
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public remarks following the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, has promised a strong and unforgiving response against the perpetrators and their backers.
Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Madhubani district on Thursday, 24 April, two days after the attack claimed at least 26 lives, PM Modi declared, “Those responsible for this heinous act and their conspirators will be punished beyond their imagination.”
“India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers, and we will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” he stated emphatically, triggering chants of “Modi, Modi” from the gathered crowd.
Calling the strike a “cowardly and inhuman act,” the Prime Minister said, “Enemies of the country have dared to attack the soul of India. But terrorism will never break India’s spirit. It will not go unpunished.”
The emotional impact of the attack was evident in PM Modi’s address as he spoke of the victims, who hailed from different states across the country.
“Some spoke Bengali, some Kannada, others Marathi, Odia, Gujarati, and Bihari. Someone lost a son, someone a brother, and someone a spouse. But their sorrow is the sorrow of the entire nation,” he said.
The Pahalgam attack, which occurred on 22 April, 2025, in the picturesque Baisaran Valley, saw gunmen opening fire on a group of unarmed tourists. Police have since identified and named three of the four suspects involved in the attack—two of whom are believed to be Pakistani nationals and the third a local from Kashmir.
Authorities have detained around 1,500 people across the Kashmir Valley for questioning. The main border crossing with Pakistan has been closed, military diplomats expelled, and India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a historic agreement on water-sharing with Pakistan.
While Islamabad has denied any involvement, the Indian government has remained firm in its stand.
“The time has come to raze whatever is left of the terror haven. The will of 140 crores will break the back of the masters of terror,” Modi said, underscoring the Centre’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.
“Every effort will be made to ensure justice. The entire nation is one in its resolve.”
At the rally, PM Modi also thanked world leaders and citizens of various countries who have extended their solidarity. “Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I also thank the people and leaders of several countries who have stood with us in these testing times,” he said.
Amid tight security, the Prime Minister also took part in a host of welfare-related events, inaugurating and launching several development projects worth ₹13,480 crore in Bihar.
He flagged off multiple train services, including the state’s second Amrit Bharat Express, and distributed the National Panchayat Awards 2025. This was his second visit to Bihar since February 24, when he had launched the 19th instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme in Bhagalpur.
However, it was the promise of justice that echoed loudest across the rally grounds. PM Modi reaffirmed, “This attack has not just been on unarmed tourists; it is an attack on the very soul of India. And I say in no uncertain terms, those who carried it out, and those who plotted it, will face consequences far greater than they ever imagined.”
The atmosphere in the country remains charged as bodies of the victims reach their home states. Emotional farewells from grieving families and communities underscore the deep scar left by the attack.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged of Kashmiri students facing harassment in some parts of India, prompting calls from civil society and opposition leaders for restraint and communal harmony.
(Compiled by Ananya Rao)
