Srinagar, Apr 22: At least 27 civilians, including two foreign nationals, were killed and over 20 others injured in a brutal terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam, on Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed. This marks the deadliest assault on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack.
The attack took place around 3:00 pm in Baisaran, a scenic meadow popular with tourists, located 6 kilometers uphill from Pahalgam town. According to police, six to eight heavily armed terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on unarmed civilians, primarily tourists and locals.
“We got an initial call from a woman tourist to the police control room at 2.45 pm stating that gunshots were heard in Baisaran. Following which a police party was rushed to the spot along with personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army,” he said.
The police officer said that so far sixteen persons have been identified while ten others were injured, some critically, and were shifted to hospitals in Anantnag and Srinagar.
He said deceased include people from different states across India and even from outside India also.
The deceased have been identified as Manju Nath Shivamu from Karnataka; Vinay Narwal, aged 26, son of Rajesh Narwal from Haryana; Shubham Dwivedi, son of Sanjay from Uttar Pradesh; Dilip Jayaram Desale from Maharashtra; Sundip Nevpane from Nepal;
Bitan Adhkeri; and Udhwani Rradeep Kumar from UAE. Atul Shrikant Mone, son of Shriam Achal from Maharashtra; Sanjay Lakhan Lele; Syed Hussan Shah, son of Syed Harder from Anantnag, J&K; Himat Bhai Kalathiay from Surat, Gujarat; Prasant Kumar Baleshwar; Manish Ranjan; Narayan Meonon, son of Ramchandram; Shalinder Kalpiya; and Shivam Mogga from Karnataka.
“Others are being treated at different hospitals and it will be fully confirmed by Wednesday morning,” he said.
Meanwhile, injured include Vini Bhai, 60, daughter of Ruwani Bhai from Gujarat, who is currently under treatment at GMC Anantnag. Others injured are Manik Patil, Rino Pandey, S. Balachandru from Maharashtra, Dr. Parmeshwaram, son of Arumugam from Chennai, Tamil Nadu (also admitted at GMC Anantnag), and Abhijavam Rao from Karnataka.
Santru, aged 83, from Tamil Nadu, and Shashi Kumari, wife of Ranjit Kumar, aged 65, from Odisha, are also receiving treatment at GMC Anantnag. Balachandra, 57, son of Sankara Pandya from Tamil Nadu, suffered heart stress. Sobhit Patel from Mumbai is undergoing treatment at BB Cantt Hospital in Srinagar.
A senior doctor at GMC Anantnag said around 18-20 persons are still injured and majority of them are stable. Some were shifted to BB Cantonment Board in Srinagar, he said.
A massive anti-terror operation has been launched in the Pahalgam area following a deadly attack on tourists in the Baisaran region earlier this afternoon.
CM Maharashtra in a post on X said “A family from Nagpur was present at the site during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
“Upon hearing the sound of gunfire, they jumped off the mountain in panic, during which Simran Rupchandani was injured after slipping and suffered a fracture in her leg. Tilak and Garv Rupchandani were also with her. All three are safe. They have been contacted and are being provided with all necessary assistance,” he said.
In another post it said that “Santosh Jagdale from Pune sustained bullet injuries in the cowardly terrorist attack in Kashmir and is currently undergoing treatment. It has also been reported that his wife was injured.
“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to their family members in Pune over the phone and assured them of all possible assistance from the state government,” the spokesman added.
Viral social media videos captured the chilling reality: gunfire shattering the valley’s serenity, desperate cries for help, and lifeless bodies strewn across the meadow in pools of blood.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility via posts on X, framing the attack as a “message to occupiers.”
As per defense sources, Sajjad Gul, the mastermind behind the deadly Pahalgam attack, is a key figure associated with TRF. He is one of the most wanted terrorists by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has been actively involved in orchestrating multiple terror strikes. His ties to Hafeez Saeed, the notorious head of Lashkar-e-Taiba, are well-documented, with Gul being a close associate of the Pakistan-based terrorist leader,” he said.
Meanwhile, Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a massive counter-terror operation in the dense forests surrounding Baisaran, with over 2,500 troops deployed, supported by drones and canine units.
Helicopters were used to evacuate the wounded, while locals risked their lives to ferry victims on ponies.
As per police official, over 2,500 troops from the Indian Army, CRPF, and Police have been deployed to comb the dense forests and hilly terrain surrounding Baisaran Valley, where the attack took place.
“The operation is being supported by helicopters for quick aerial surveillance and evacuation of the wounded, while National Security Guard (NSG) commandos have also been brought in to assist with high-risk operations,” he said.
He further said forces are determined to bring the attackers to justice and are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to apprehend those behind this heinous act of terror.
District administration mobilised ambulances and set up a crisis center at the government-owned Pahalgam Club, where families of the victims were relocated under heavy security. Emergency helplines (0194-2457543, 0194-2483651) were activated, and Anantnag police established a help desk to assist affected families.
The Indian Army’s Northern Command, overseeing security in Jammu & Kashmir, condemned the attack as a “heinous act of cowardice.
Lieutenant General M.V. Suchindra Kumar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, vowed retribution:
“This assault on innocent lives is a desperate attempt to destabilize Kashmir’s hard-earned peace. Our forces are conducting relentless operations to hunt down the terrorists and their handlers. We will ensure justice,” he said.
Srinagar based Chinar Corps spokesman said that in a cowardly act of violence, terrorists opened fire on innocent tourists and locals.
“In the immediate aftermath, Joint Forces are overseeing the situation. Medical teams were swiftly mobilized and casualty evacuation commenced,” he said.
The spokesman said that a joint search operation has been launched by the IndianArmy and Police in the general area of Baisran, Pahalgam, Anantnag.
“The search operation is currently in progress, with all efforts focused on bringing the attackers to justice,” he added.
