Pahalgam: Tourist area targeted in Kashmir attack, multiple people feared dead

Authorities have described the shooting as a “terror attack” and blamed militants operating in the region.

The incident took place in Baisaran meadow, located roughly five kilometres from Pahalgam, a scenic destination popular with domestic tourists. Initial reports indicate that the gunmen indiscriminately fired at a group of mostly Indian visitors, seriously injuring several. Police said victims were being evacuated to hospitals for treatment.

“This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” said Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, in a statement on social media. “The death toll is still being ascertained so I don’t want to get into those details,” he added.

The heavily forested and mountainous terrain around Baisaran has since been cordoned off by security forces, and a search operation is underway to locate the attackers.

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah announced that he would travel to Srinagar to assess the situation firsthand. “We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” Shah wrote on social media, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been briefed on the incident while on an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Condemnation of the attack came swiftly. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a leading Kashmiri religious and resistance figure, said: “Such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir which welcomes visitors with love and warmth. Condemn it strongly.”

The attack occurred during a period of relative calm in the valley and coincided with a private visit to India by US Vice President JD Vance, who is currently on a four-day personal trip.

Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of southern Kashmir, is a major hub for both tourists and pilgrims. The surrounding region, including the Baisaran meadow where the attack occurred, is known for its pine forests and views of snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Hundreds of tourists visit the area daily, especially during the summer months.

Kashmir remains a deeply contested region, claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, though each controls only parts of it. Armed insurgency has persisted in the Indian-controlled region since 1989, with militants demanding either independence or union with Pakistan.

India maintains the insurgency is supported by Pakistan, a claim Islamabad denies. The decades-long conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives, including civilians, security personnel, and militants.