Photo: Depositphotos
Pahalgam, India – 23 April – More than two dozen people have been killed and dozens more injured in a mass shooting in a popular tourist region of Indian Kashmir. This is reported by the BBC, citing statements by local authorities.
The attack took place in the mountainous town of Pahalgam, often referred to as “India’s Switzerland”. According to officials, the militants opened fire on a group of domestic tourists who were in a remote mountain meadow called Baisaran, about 5 km from the town.
“This is an attack on a much larger scale than anything we have seen against civilians in recent years,” said the region’s chief minister, Omar Abdullah.
Police reported numerous injuries, some of them critical. A tourist from Gujarat, who survived the attack, told reporters that “suddenly shooting started and everything turned into chaos – people were screaming, crying, running away in panic”.
Army and police units are working at the scene. The area is cordoned off, checkpoints have been set up, and a large-scale search operation is underway.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. A separatist insurgency has been going on in the region since 1989, although the level of violence has decreased in recent years.
Global reaction
The attack was condemned by world leaders. US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Deeply disturbing news from Kashmir. The United States stands firmly with India in the fight against terrorism.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the incident a “heinous terrorist attack”, while Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “sincere condolences” over the tragedy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who interrupted his visit to Saudi Arabia, promised that those responsible would be punished: “Our resolve to fight terrorism is unwavering.”
Home Minister Amit Shah rushed to Srinagar to hold a security meeting. Manoj Sinha, the region’s lieutenant governor, confirmed that armed forces were already at the scene.
Historical context
Since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a source of tension between the two nuclear powers. Since the 1990s, an armed insurgency has been going on in the region, claiming tens of thousands of lives.
Pahalgam, where the attack took place, is one of the most popular tourist destinations. In 2024, according to official figures, about 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir.
The last such attack took place in June 2024, when nine pilgrims were killed after an attack on a bus. The worst attack in recent history remains the events of 2019, when a suicide bombing killed at least 46 Indian soldiers and led to airstrikes in Pakistan.
