At least five people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a group of domestic tourists at a popular scenic location in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to authorities speaking to the BBC.
The incident occurred in Pahalgam, a picturesque Himalayan town often referred to as the "Switzerland of India."
Omar Abdullah, the region’s chief minister, described the attack as "far more severe than any assault on civilians we've witnessed in recent years." Several others were reportedly injured in the attack.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the violence, vowing that those responsible would "be brought to justice."
“Our determination to combat terrorism is unwavering, and it will only grow stronger,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement posted on X.
Modi also announced that Home Minister Amit Shah would travel to Srinagar, the largest city in Kashmir, to convene an emergency meeting in response to the attack.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha confirmed that both the army and police forces had been deployed to the area.
No group has claimed responsibility for the assault, which occurred in Baisaran, a mountaintop meadow located about 5 km (3 miles) from Pahalgam, a well-known tourist destination in the Himalayas.
Video footage shared by Indian media shows security personnel rushing toward the scene. In other clips, victims reportedly claim that the attackers specifically targeted non-Muslim tourists.
According to police, several injured tourists were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. The area has been sealed off as a manhunt is underway to locate the assailants.
Kashmir has experienced a protracted separatist insurgency since 1989, primarily in its Muslim-majority areas. Although violence has declined in recent years, sporadic attacks continue to occur.
The broader Himalayan region has been contested since 1947, when India gained independence from Britain and Pakistan was created. Both countries, now nuclear-armed, claim the region in full and have fought multiple wars over it.
Today, approximately 500,000 Indian troops remain stationed in the region.
While the intensity of the conflict has diminished since the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s partial autonomy in 2019, occasional outbreaks of violence persist.
Despite the instability, Pahalgam remains a major attraction for both Indian and international visitors. In 2024 alone, around 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir, according to official data.
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