Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday made an emotional trip to the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, assuring them that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and face the full force of the law.
The attack in the Baisaran meadows of south Kashmir on Tuesday took the lives of 26 people, including foreign tourists, and has been one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the Valley in recent times.
Reaching Srinagar just a day after the attack, Shah met with bereaved families in a charged emotional environment. Video clips uploaded by ANI showed anguished moments as family members wept while interacting with the Home Minister, who provided subdued condolences and stood respectfully beside them.
Later, Shah paid respects on the dead bodies at the Police Control Room, where the mortal remains were brought after post-mortem scans at the Government Medical College.
"With a heavy heart, paid last respects to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will never bow to terror. The perpetrators of this horrific terror attack will not be let off," Shah tweeted on X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities confirmed that Shah also paid a visit to Baisaran meadows, a tourist attraction known as "mini Switzerland," to take stock of the situation on the ground. He was informed how heavily armed terrorists, who purportedly belong to The Resistance Front (TRF) — a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy — came out of the nearby forests and launched indiscriminate attacks on unsuspecting tourists and vendors. The isolated area, some six kilometers from Pahalgam and reachable only by pony or on foot, was deemed a safe area, adding to concerns regarding the scale and motive of the attack.
Witnesses described the rampage as the terrorists fired randomly at picnickers, pony riders, and people who were eating at food stalls. Foreign nationals from the UAE and Nepal and two local residents were among the victims.
Immediately following his arrival, Shah chaired a high-level security meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, J&K DGP, and other senior officials to discuss measures to enhance security and prevent future incidents.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the incident as "much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years," highlighting the grim implications for regional peace and security.
The attack has evoked a flood of national sorrow, with intense responses from India's sporting community and political establishment, and across-the-board demands for justice and a strong rejection of terrorism.
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