On April 22, 2025, a devastating terrorist attack occurred at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in at least 27 fatalities and over 20 injuries. The assailants, suspected to be militants affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted a group of tourists, marking one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in recent years.
KEY DETAILS:
- Location & Timing: The attack took place around 2:50 PM IST in Baisaran meadow, a popular tourist spot accessible only by foot or pony, approximately 5 km from Pahalgam.
- Casualties: At least 27 people were killed, including 24 Indian tourists from various states, two local residents of Jammu and Kashmir, and two foreign nationals from Nepal and the United Arab Emirates. Over 20 others were injured, with some in critical condition requiring helicopter evacuations.
- Claim of Responsibility: The Resistance Front claimed responsibility for the attack, citing opposition to demographic changes due to the settlement of over 85,000 “outsiders” in the region following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019.
- Political Reactions: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack as a “heinous act” and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also condemned the attack and pledged support for the victims. Opposition leaders, including. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, expressed outrage and solidarity with the victims.
- International Response: World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims. The European Union and the United Nations also issued similar statements.
