At least 24 people were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday when gunmen opened fire on tourists, marking a devastating incident that authorities have described as one of the worst attacks on civilians in years. The tragedy unfolded in Pahalgam, a popular summer retreat approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) from Srinagar, the region’s main city.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the “heinous act,” vowing that those responsible would face justice. Eyewitness accounts describe chaotic scenes following the gunfire, with a tour guide named Waheed reporting that he arrived shortly after the shooting began and helped transport wounded individuals on horseback. “I saw a few men lying on the ground looking like they were dead,” he recounted, highlighting the severity of the situation.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the region has been rife with conflict since 1989, with various rebel factions seeking either independence or unification with Pakistan, which administers a smaller portion of Kashmir. The incident occurred just a day after Modi met with US Vice President JD Vance during his four-day visit to India, further intensifying the scrutiny on security in the region.
Authorities, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, characterized the attack as unprecedented in its scale against civilians. Abdullah described it as an “abomination” and expressed his outrage, condemning the perpetrators as “animals” and “inhuman.” India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah announced he would travel to the attack site and assured the public that those responsible would face severe repercussions.
Mehbooba Mufti, a former Chief Minister and leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, was among the first politicians to comment on the assault, initially reporting five fatalities. “I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam,” she stated.
Medical personnel in Anantnag reported treating several individuals injured in the attack, with some victims suffering from gunshot wounds, including a serious injury to the neck. The attack has drawn reactions from various political leaders, including Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, who expressed that the killings were “heartbreaking” and called for accountability from the federal government.
Despite approximately 500,000 soldiers stationed in the region, violence has diminished since the Indian government revoked Kashmir’s limited autonomy in 2019. Modi reiterated India’s commitment to combating terrorism, claiming that “their evil agenda will never succeed,” while advocating for a stronger resolve against such acts.
The Kashmir region has increasingly been promoted as a tourist destination, attracting around 3.5 million visitors in 2024, with the majority being domestic travelers. In recent years, the Indian government has attempted to showcase a return to normalcy, having hosted a G20 tourism meeting in Srinagar under heightened security in 2023.
The historical context of violence in Kashmir cannot be overlooked; the most devastating attack took place in February 2019 in Pulwama, when a suicide bomber killed 40 security personnel. Additionally, a massacre in March 2000 claimed the lives of 36 Indian civilians, underscoring the persistent turbulence in the region. India continues to accuse Pakistan of supporting militant groups in Kashmir, while Islamabad maintains that it only advocates for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
