On April 22, 2025, a devastating attack occurred in Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, a renowned tourist destination in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Armed militants opened fire on a group of tourists, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 individuals and injuring over 30 others. This incident marks one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the region in recent years .
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the assailants, numbering between four and six, were dressed in military-style uniforms. They reportedly emerged from nearby forests and began shooting at close range. Survivors noted that the attackers appeared to target non-Muslim tourists, asking individuals to recite Islamic verses and checking for circumcision—a practice associated with Islamic identity. Those who failed these tests were shot, while most women were spared. One survivor recounted that an assailant told her she was being spared so she could “narrate the horrors” to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi .
The victims hailed from various Indian states, including Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Haryana, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. Among the deceased were a 26-year-old Indian Navy officer and an Intelligence Bureau official. Additionally, two foreign nationals from Nepal and the United Arab Emirates lost their lives in the attack .
In response to the massacre, Indian authorities have launched a joint search operation involving local police and the Indian Army to apprehend the perpetrators. Helicopters have been deployed, and a temporary lockdown has been imposed in parts of Pahalgam. Prime Minister Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia at the time, condemned the attack and vowed justice for the victims. He has since shortened his trip to oversee the situation. Home Minister Amit Shah also promised severe consequences for those responsible .
