A devastating attack in Indian-administered Kashmir has resulted in the deaths of at least 28 tourists. Suspected militants opened fire at Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, a popular and picturesque tourist destination located 90 kilometers south of Srinagar, the region's main city. Officials are calling this the deadliest assault on civilians in the area in recent years. The incident occurred while US Vice President JD Vance was visiting India.
The attack unfolded around 3 PM local time when a group of armed individuals emerged from a dense pine forest, reportedly approaching the tourists from the direction of the nearby mountains.
Disturbing videos shared by local residents on social media depicted injured tourists lying in pools of blood as their distraught relatives cried for help. Due to the remote location and lack of road access, helicopters were deployed to evacuate the injured.
A local tour guide, identified only as Waheed, recounted reaching the scene after hearing gunfire and using horses to transport some of the wounded. "I saw a few men lying on the ground looking like they were dead," he told AFP news agency.
A female survivor, speaking to PTI news agency via phone, shared the tragic news of her husband being shot in the head, adding that seven others were also injured in the attack.
Omar Abdullah, a prominent elected official in the region, described the attack on social media as "much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years."
Government sources confirmed that the deceased included tourists from the Indian states of Karnataka, Odisha, and Gujarat, as well as two foreign nationals. At least six others sustained injuries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had met with Vice President Vance the previous day, condemned the "heinous act." In a post on X during his visit to Saudi Arabia, he stated, "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."
The area where the attack occurred was immediately cordoned off as police launched an operation to locate the perpetrators. Local police officials indicated that two to three gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on the tourists in the Baisaran Valley, an area accessible only by foot or horseback, before fleeing.
A witness told India Today, "The shooting occurred right in front of us. At first we thought it was just firecrackers, but when we heard others screaming we rushed out of there to save ourselves." Another witness, who remained anonymous, recounted, "We didn’t stop running for four kilometres … I’m still trembling."
Protests condemning the attack erupted in several areas of Indian-administered Kashmir, with a rally in Jammu led by right-wing activists blaming Pakistan.
A militant group identifying itself as "Kashmir Resistance" claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media message. The group cited anger over the Indian settlement of over 85,000 "outsiders," alleging it was driving a "demographic change" in the region.
The Kashmir region is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, but each controls only a part. It has been plagued by militant violence since the beginning of an anti-Indian insurgency in 1989, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, although violence had decreased in recent years.
In 2019, India revoked Kashmir’s special autonomous status, dividing the state into two federally administered territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. This move also allowed local authorities to grant domicile rights to outsiders, enabling them to obtain jobs and purchase land in the territory.
Authorities have characterized the attack as targeted and intended to instill terror among tourists visiting Kashmir.
Vice President Vance condemned the "horrific attack" and expressed his condolences in a social media post, writing, "Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack."
This attack marks a significant and concerning shift in the regional conflict, as tourists had largely been spared from violence for many years, despite a recent increase in targeted killings of Hindus, including migrant workers, following India's revocation of the region's semi-autonomy in 2019 and subsequent crackdown on dissent, civil liberties, and media freedoms.
The Baisaran area is a major attraction for Indian tourists, drawing tens of thousands daily, particularly during the summer months when temperatures in mainland India are high.
Indian army and paramilitary forces have been deployed to the area to conduct a search for the attackers. In recent years, militants in the region have increasingly targeted security forces in the mountainous and forested terrain.
Kashmir remains one of the most heavily militarized zones globally and is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, though each controls only a portion. The two countries have fought multiple wars over the disputed territory.
