New Delhi: The brutal terror attack on unsuspecting tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday was carried out by four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. According to reports, two of the terrorists are from Pakistan, while the other two are locals. The terrorists were armed with AK-47 rifles and wore bulletproof jackets and body cameras.
The attack which took place at around 2.30pm in the scenic Baisaran near Pahalgam, left 28 people including two foreign nationals dead. Many others were injured after terrorists opened fire tourists in the popular tourist destination.
TRF claims responsibility
According to sources, the two local terrorists have been identified as Adil Thakur from Bijbehara and Asif Sheikh from Tral. The Pakistani militants are said to be of Pashtun origin. Though the responsibility for the attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), security agencies maintain that TRF is merely a front for LeT, used to give attacks a local facade.
At the time of the attack, the terrorists targeted tourists in the Baisaran Valley, popularly known as ‘Maggie Point’ or ‘Mini Switzerland’. They reportedly asked for names to identify Hindu men, separated the women and children, and then opened fire.
Para commandos, special forces deployed in area
The bullets used in the attack were AK-47 rounds and steel-tipped armour-piercing bullets. The entire operation was executed in around 15 minutes before the terrorists fled. Sources further suggest presence of additional terrorists, who were stationed at higher ground to provide surveillance.
When asked why no security forces were deployed despite the heavy tourist presence, sources stated that the administration intended to portray the area as a “safe tourist destination”. Officials did not anticipate that terrorists would target tourists, as such attacks also adversely affect the local population.
Following the attack, para commandos and special forces have been deployed in the area, and an extensive manhunt has been launched to track down the terrorists.
Shekhawat in touch with J-K’s tourism department
Meanwhile, Union tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said that they were doing their best to minimise dent on tourism in Kashmir. He also said that he was in touch with J-K’s tourism department.
Union home minister Amit Shah has said that the culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared. “Bharat will not bend to terror,” he added.
Congress calls emergency CWC meeting in Delhi
An emergency meeting of the Congress Working Committee will be convened here on Thursday in response to the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, announced AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal.
