NEW DELHI: In a horrifying act of terror, twenty-six people, including an Indian Navy officer and an Intelligence Bureau personnel, were gunned down on Tuesday around 3 PM at Baisaran — a picturesque meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. The area, often dubbed “mini Switzerland” for its scenic charm, was bustling with tourists enjoying the spring sunshine when the attack occurred.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of utter chaos as gunfire erupted without warning. Tourists on pony rides, relaxing at roadside stalls, or enjoying family picnics were caught off-guard. Survivors reported that the assailants asked victims’ names before opening fire. A woman, speaking to PTI, recounted her husband being shot in the head, with several others wounded nearby. Disturbing visuals from the scene showed lifeless bodies on the grass, with distraught relatives crying for help.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces, including the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police, swiftly cordoned off the area and launched a large-scale manhunt. Due to the rugged terrain, helicopters were used to airlift the injured, while locals aided in transporting casualties on ponies down to Pahalgam.

In response, emergency control rooms have been set up in Anantnag and Srinagar. The Civil Aviation Ministry has coordinated additional flights and waived cancellation fees to assist stranded families. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu appealed to airlines to avoid surge pricing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi Tuesday night. Upon arrival, he convened an emergency meeting with top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. In a statement, PM Modi condemned the “heinous act” and vowed that “those responsible will not be spared.” He reaffirmed India’s unwavering resolve to combat terrorism.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached Srinagar Tuesday evening and visited the Police Control Room where the victims’ bodies were laid for a wreath-laying ceremony. He is expected to travel to Pahalgam for an on-ground assessment and security briefing.

International leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, expressed their condolences and solidarity with India.

This attack is the worst civilian massacre in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama bombing in 2019, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed. It also draws grim parallels to past atrocities in the region — from the 2000 Amarnath base camp attack to the 2002 strike at Sheshnag.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the Pahalgam massacre as “unprecedented in scale and savagery,” while Lt Governor Manoj Sinha vowed a severe response, declaring that the perpetrators “will pay a very heavy price.”

In a separate but possibly related incident, the Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Baramulla on Wednesday morning. Troops intercepted militants in the Uri Nala sector, leading to an ongoing gunfight. Two terrorists have reportedly been neutralized, and weapons and war-like stores were recovered.