Sketches of three terrorists who were part of the gruesome attack that killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, were released by security personnel today. The investigating agencies have identified all three as operators linked to Lashkar-e-Toiba, with at least two being suspected foreign nationals.
While the nation is still coming to terms with the monstrous act, a massive manhunt has been initiated to arrest the attackers and reveal the extent of the coordinated attack.
Responsibility for the strike has been asserted by The Resistance Front, an proxy organization fighting on behalf of the proscribed Pakistan-based extremist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). At the outbreak of violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sped to Kashmir on an urgent trip, where he met with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to view the situation on the ground.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official trip to Saudi Arabia, immediately returned to India after the tragedy. While speaking to the nation earlier, he had sharply condemned the act of terror and promised all-around support to the victims and their families. "Those responsible for this barbaric act will be taken to task.they will not be spared! Their nefarious agenda will never be achieved. Our determination to combat terrorism is firm and it will become even firmer," the Prime Minister asserted.
Home Minister Shah paid tribute to the victims of today's attack as their bodies were being readied for sendoff to their hometowns. "With a sad heart, paid last respects to the martyrs of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will not bow to terror. The perpetrators of this cowardly terror attack will not be let off," he tweeted on X.
Survivors recounted terrifying accounts, claiming the terrorists asked them to declare their religion prior to killing the men. The victims' bodies are being brought back to their relatives, and the Civil Aviation Ministry called on airlines to maintain fares to prevent stranded tourists from returning home.
Following the attack, increased security measures have been put in place in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai, with authorities being on high alert.
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