Terrorists opened fire at a popular tourist spot near Kashmir's Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly holidayers from other states, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.
The Chinese see no need to fight directly. They have an able and willing proxy in Pakistan, points out Shekhar Gupta.
All 26 victims were men.
For the ninth consecutive night, Indian and Pakistani troops engaged in small arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, continuing a pattern of heightened border tensions. The skirmishes, initiated by Pakistani troops in violation of the ceasefire agreement, have led to a tense situation along the LoC and International Border (IB). The incidents come in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. Civilians residing near the border have begun preparing their bunkers, anticipating potential escalation. Despite a recent hotline conversation between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, where India cautioned Pakistan, the ceasefire violations persist.
Authorities in Kashmir have launched a massive crackdown on terrorists and their sympathisers in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, razing homes of the ultras, raiding their safe havens and detaining hundreds of overground workers for questioning, officials said on Saturday.
The highlight of Tuesday's debate on Operation Sindoor was the speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the rebuttal by Congress's Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi coming a close second.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned India of a strong response, saying Pakistan will respond to a "brick with a stone" if India takes any action against Pakistan, amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Dar alleged that India might have staged the Pahalgam attack to abolish the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and warned that any attempt by India to interfere with the treaty would be considered an act of war. He also said that Pakistan had no involvement in the Pahalgam incident and is getting support from countries like Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Hungary.
Two terrorists, including a top commander of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, were killed in an ongoing operation in a snow-bound area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The operation began on Wednesday following a brief encounter and continues. A separate operation to track down three other terrorists has also been underway in Udhampur district since Wednesday.
Some pro-Kashmir resistance handles on social media have claimed that the citizens who were injured in the Pahalgam terrorist attacks were not 'ordinary', but connected with internal security and counter-intelligence agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh's role at the press briefing for Operation Sindoor is consistent with her experience as a helicopter pilot in Jammu and Kashmir during the course of her career.
India's sporting fraternity, including Olympic medalists Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu, expressed grief and condemnation over the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
US President Donald Trump strongly condemned the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of the "heinous attack". Trump conveyed his deepest condolences at the loss of innocent lives in the terror attack and said that India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror. The attack, which killed 26 people, mostly holidayers from other states, is the deadliest in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. Modi, who was on a two-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his visit and returned to New Delhi on Tuesday night after the attack.
The entry and exit points are being closely scrutinised by the investigating NIA teams for clues to the modus operandi of the terrorists, the officials said.
The results of assembly elections in the Kashmir Valley have culminated in a significant rejection of separatist candidates, including those from Engineer Rashid-led Awami Ittehad Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, who failed to make a meaningful impact in the polls.
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked border villages residents, who were evacuated to safer places in view of cross border shelling by Pakistan, not to rush back to homes as they are yet to sanitise and clear these areas of any unexplored shells.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that two more constituents of the Jammu and Kashmir-based Hurriyat Conference, J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal and J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, have abandoned separatism and pledged allegiance to the new India envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This development follows similar declarations from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM) and the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) on Tuesday. Shah stated that under Modi's leadership, separatism is on the decline and the unity of India is growing stronger in Kashmir.
Pakistan's troops have engaged in unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting retaliation from the Indian Army. This marks the eighth consecutive night of such incidents, following heightened tensions stemming from a recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Civilians residing along the LoC and IB are preparing their bunkers in anticipation of potential escalation.
The 53-second video, shot using a selfie stick, showed people running for their lives, with one of them falling, apparently after being gunned down by a terrorist.
Umar Ganie captures glimpses of tourists savouring the frozen waterfall valley in Drung in Tangmarg in North Kashmir.
Kashmiris across the region condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, with widespread protests and a shutdown in Srinagar and other parts of the valley. The attack was seen as an assault on the foundation of Kashmir's economy, with residents highlighting the importance of tourism to the region's livelihood. Protests were held in various districts, including Srinagar, Kulgam, Handwara, and Ramban, with residents united in their condemnation of the violence and calling for an end to terrorism.
'There's a lot of sense in what Prime Minister Modi did, but the Indian government has to be really prepared for a really sharp escalation spiral.'
It's just not a date. It's just not about selecting a candidate. It's not about helping some candidate win. It's about expressing emotion, after ten years, that could reach out in India and beyond it, notes Sheela Bhatt.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for maximum restraint between India and Pakistan following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said that the UN chief is following the situation "very closely and with very great concern." Dujarric also stated that any issues between the two countries "can and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement." India has downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the terror attack.
"More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Jammu & Kashmir. These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally," TRF said in a statement which could not be independently verified by Rediff.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for de-escalation between India and Pakistan, expressing deep concern over rising tensions following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the attack and urged both sides to avoid a confrontation, which he described as catastrophic. The Secretary-General has also offered his good offices to support de-escalation efforts. The President of the UN General Assembly, Philemon Yang, has also expressed concern over the escalating violence and called for a resolution through diplomatic means. Meanwhile, Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack and reiterated its commitment to fighting terrorism.
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday expressing shock and anguish over the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and resolved to fight resolutely to defeat the nefarious designs to disturb communal harmony and hinder progress.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia to take stock of the situation following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The meeting also included Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The attack, which killed at least 26 people, including tourists from the UAE and Nepal, has sparked nationwide shock and outrage.
From using lavender in traditional Dogri embroidery to making essential oils, beauty products and food syrups infused with this flowering plant, Bhaderwah, once known for its maize fields, is embracing lavender to bring about an economic transformation to their small town.
The Kashmir valley is facing a shortage of electricity at the beginning of the long winter.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered a probe after a fashion show in the ski resort of Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramzan sparked widespread criticism. The event, which featured semi-nude models, was widely condemned by religious leaders and activists who accused the organizers of disregarding local sensitivities and disrespecting religious values. The Chief Minister has promised to take appropriate action once the report is submitted within 24 hours. The incident has sparked a debate about the balance between tourism promotion and the preservation of cultural and religious values in the region.
'No words can heal the wounds of a mother who lost her child, or a friend who lost their companion. But we must speak, we must feel, and we must remember.'
'If Pakistan has fired one bullet at us then we have to respond by firing 10 bullets at them. It is our right to do so.'
'India today feels enough is enough and we need to teach Pakistan a lesson.' 'Unless compelled, Mr Modi will think 10 times before taking the extreme step.'
'These statements which you are telling me were never uttered from mosques on that day.' 'And if this had happened, I would have got the report as the chief secretary of J&K.'
Javed Munshi, suspected to be a member of the outlawed 'Tehreek e Mujahideen' outfit in Kashmir Valley, was picked up from near Canning Hospital by a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and West Bengal Police's Special Task Force, the officer said.
People living in areas like Nowgam, Chowkibal, Budnambal, Karnah, Keran, Jumagand, Kenthawali, Machil and Lashdat along the Line of Control in north Kashmir have been advised not to venture into steep avalanche-prone slopes
'If you post on social media on an issue like power cuts in Tral, the police will come to your home and tell you to remove your social media post.' 'If you don't, then the local police threaten you that they will book you under PSA.' 'This is happening all the time in Kashmir.'
The 2003 BSF operation that eliminated terrorist Gazi Baba in Jammu and Kashmir, the subject of an upcoming action film, "Ground Zero," crippled the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The mission, which earned the BSF a dozen gallantry awards, is being portrayed in the film releasing on April 25. The operation, described in the BSF's 50th anniversary book, involved a daring raid on a house in Srinagar where Gazi Baba was hiding. The BSF faced heavy gunfire and grenades, with officers sustaining injuries and one constable, Balbir Singh, being killed while protecting his superior officer, Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey. Dubey, who led the operation, received the Kirti Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award.
A Pune businessman was shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday, his daughter recounted the horrific incident. The family was cowering in fear inside a tent when terrorists came. They asked Santosh Jagdale, 54, to come out and recite an Islamic verse. When he couldn't, they shot him thrice: once in the head, then behind the ear and then his back. The 26-year-old daughter of the Pune businessman recounted to PTI the terror the family went through in the horrific attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. After her father fell to the ground, the gunmen turned on her uncle who was lying next to her and shot him several times in the back.
The Border Security Force (BSF) remains on high alert along the International Border (IB) and has not let its guard down, BSF Inspector General, Jammu Frontier, Shashank Anand said on Tuesday. Operation Sindoor, aimed at preventing infiltration attempts, continues as Pakistan cannot be trusted, he added. Anand highlighted the BSF's robust response after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, including destroying multiple terror launch pads and thwarting infiltration attempts.
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