New Delhi:
A crowd of unsuspecting tourists, five to six killers, three focus spots and 10 minutes of heavy firing — investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 people murdered, has thrown up the chilling events at Baisaran meadow on Tuesday afternoon.
Sources in the security establishment have told NDTV that at least five killers were part of the team of terrorists carrying out the attack. The killers emerged from the pine forest next to the meadow and headed towards three spots where tourists were present in large numbers. They were carrying rifles and some reports claim they had bodycams to record the gruesome act.
The first shot was fired around 1.50 pm. Horrifying visuals of the attack have shown that the tourists were unaware of the approaching killers till very late. Children were jumping on a trampoline and their parents were enjoying bhelpuri and admiring the scenic beauty when the shots of death rang through.
According to the accounts of survivors, the terrorists walked up to the innocent tourists, asked their religion, took an Islamic verse test and then shot them dead. Many of the killings were by headshots. After the killings, the terrorists fled towards the forest they had come from, security sources have said. Police received the alert around 2.30 pm, about 30 minutes after the attack.
It must be noted that the road from Pahalgam to Baisaran meadow is inaccessible by cars. The route passes through a tricky terrain, with streams, muddy stretches and forest, and a trek or a pony ride would take at least one hour. As a result, help could reach the meadow only after 3 pm. Many of the survivors have said that those shot were alive for some time after the attack and emergency response could have saved them.
Twenty-five tourists and a Kashmiri pony ride operator were killed in the most ruthless terror attack the Valley has seen. The attack happened during US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip and returned to tackle the situation. In a post on X after news of the attack came in, the Prime Minister said “those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared”.
Security agencies suspect Pakistan backed the Pahalgam terror attack, in the same in which it has supported multiple acts of terror in India in the past.
Amid the nationwide outrage over the killing of innocents, the Cabinet Committee on Security took strong steps against Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty has been put on hold, and the Integrated Check Post at Attari has been shut. New Delhi has also said Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas and declared defence advisers in the Pakistani High Commission Persona Non Grata. The overall strength of the High Commissions will also be brought down from 55 to 30 by May 1.