At least 20 people were killed after suspected militants opened fire on tourists in India's Jamu and Kashmir territory on Tuesday, three security sources said.
All three spoke on anonymous condition because they had no right to speak with the media.
The attack took place in Pahalgam, a popular destination in a scenic mountainous area, especially in the summer months, with a large-scale tourism revival, with radical Islamic violence eased in recent years.
“The fire happened in front of us,” a witness told the Indian broadcaster today. “We thought someone was pulling out firecrackers, but when we heard others [screaming]we quickly left there.
Another witness told India Today, “Four kilometers, we didn’t stop…I was trembling.”
The Indian Express reported that the attack occurred on the grasslands of the highway and involved two to three militants.
“The death toll is still being determined, so I don't want to introduce these details,” Jamu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “It goes without saying that this attack is much bigger than any pointing attacks on civilians in recent years.”
The victim's nationality is not immediately known.
A lesser-known radical group called the Kashmir Resistance Movement claims to be responsible for the attack in social media messages. Indicating dissatisfaction, more than 85,000 “outsiders” have settled in the area, which has stimulated “demographic changes.”
“So, violence will be directed at those who try to solve it illegally,” it said.
Reuters cannot independently verify the source of the news.
Special identity revoked 6 years ago
The Jamu and Kashmir regional governments where Pahalgam are located told its legislature this month that nearly 84,000 non-local people from India have gained dwelling rights on the territory over the past two years.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that justice will be delivered.
“Their evil agenda will never succeed,” Modi said. “Our determination to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will become stronger.”
India's interior minister Amit Shah said he was rushing to Kashmir to hold a security meeting.
Since the anti-Indian rebellion began in 1989, the Himalayas have all claimed to be full, but are partially dominated by India and Pakistan.
Despite the gradual decline of violence, tens of thousands of people were killed.
India revoked Kashmir's special status in 2019, dividing the state into two federal government-managed territories – Jamu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The move also allows local authorities to issue residence rights to outsiders, allowing them to find jobs and purchase land on the territory. This has led to worsening ties with Pakistan, which also claims the region.
This dispute is the root of painful hatred and military conflict between nuclear-weapon neighbors.
Attacks against Kashmir tourists have become rare. The last fatal incident occurred in June 2024, when at least nine people were killed and 33 were injured after a radical attack, causing a bus to drive into a deep canyon with Hindu pilgrims.
Indian security agencies say some major armed attacks following the rebellion coincide with visits from high-profile foreign officials to India, possibly in order to draw global attention from Kashmir.
