The Pahalgam attack 2025 stunned India on 22 April when masked gunmen opened fire on holiday-makers at Baisaran Meadow, a scenic hilltop above Pahalgam in south Kashmir. Within minutes 26 civilians—mainly Hindu tourists—lay dead and 17 more were injured, making it the valley’s worst assault on visitors since 2000. Authorities now call it “an act of war”, while investigators race to identify the four to six militants thought to be behind the massacre.
Pahalgam Attack 2025: Fast-Facts at a Glance
- Date & time: 22 April 2025, ~14:45 IST
- Location: Baisaran Meadow (nicknamed Mini-Switzerland), 5 km above Pahalgam town
- Casualties: 26 killed, 17 wounded
- Victims: 24 Hindus, 1 Muslim local mule-handler, 1 Nepali Christian tourist
- Claimed by: The Resistance Front (TRF) and a new outfit “Kashmir Resistance”
- Suspects: 2 Pakistani militants + 2 local Kashmiris (per initial police sketch)
- Status: Massive manhunt; homes of five suspects demolished; no arrests yet
Why Pahalgam Matters: A Quick Background
Kashmir’s “Comeback” Tourism
Pahalgam sits 50 km south-east of Srinagar and had become the flagship of Kashmir’s revived holiday industry, welcoming 3.5 million visitors in 2024—a 15-year peak. After New Delhi revoked Article 370 in 2019 the valley saw fewer militant strikes on civilians, and Baisaran’s pony treks symbolised a fragile normalcy.
Security Footprint Before the Attack
Despite past insurgency, Baisaran is accessible only by foot or mule; routine patrols were sparse. Eyewitnesses told journalist that “there was no police or army nearby… locals put the wounded on mules.” The gap between intelligence warnings and on-ground protection is now under fierce scrutiny.
Detailed Timeline of 22 April 2025
| Local Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 14:30 | ~150-200 tourists relax near tea tents at Baisaran Meadow. |
| 14:45 | 3–4 militants in camo emerge from forest, seal the only trail, begin automatic fire. |
| 14:50 | Eyewitnesses hear shouts to recite Religious verses; those unable are shot at close range. |
| 15:05 | Attackers flee downhill; locals use ponies to evacuate victims. |
| 15:20 | Indian Army choppers airlift severely wounded to Pahalgam sub-district hospital. |
| 16:30 | J&K Police, CRPF and Army cordon the forest belt; search operation launched. |
| 18:00 | TRF posts a claim on an encrypted channel citing “demographic change”. |
| 23:30 | Prime Minister Modi tweets that culprits “will not be spared”. |
Victims: Who Were the Tourists Targeted?
Among the dead were:
- Lt. Vinay Narwal (26), Indian Navy officer from Haryana, on honeymoon six days after marriage.
- Manish Ranjan, Intelligence Bureau section officer travelling with family.
- Neeraj Udhwani (32), Jaipur software consultant home from UAE.
- Sudeep Neupane, Nepali national on first visit to Kashmir.
Rathee’s video highlights the widow’s testimony: “He said, ‘You don’t look Muslim,’ and shot him.” (wife of Lt. Narwal).
Investigation & Claims of Responsibility
Competing Claims
- The Resistance Front (TRF) – a Lashkar-e-Taiba “shadow group” banned by India in 2023.
- Kashmir Resistance – obscure outfit lamenting “outsider settlements”.
Suspect Profile
- Police sketches of three Pakistanis circulated; two local recruits (Adil Guri, Ahsan Sheikh) believed to have crossed LoC in 2018.
- Intelligence notes tracked TRF commander Saifullah Kasuri as likely planner.
- Forensic teams recovered 7.62 mm shells and M4 rifle casings, suggesting foreign hardware.
Intelligence Lapses?
The Hindu reported militants scouting Pahalgam hotels in early April; an “actionable input” reached agencies but no extra deployment followed. Government sources dispute this, calling it a “terrain challenge rather than failure.”
Official, Domestic and International Responses
| Stakeholder | Key Statement / Action |
|---|---|
| India PM Modi | Cut short Saudi visit, called killings “heinous”, vowed “unshakable resolve”. |
| Home Minister Amit Shah | Oversaw J&K security review; extra 5,000 troops rushed to valley. |
| J&K CM Omar Abdullah | Described assault as “much larger than anything on civilians in recent years”. |
| Pakistan Govt. | Denied involvement, offered “neutral probe”, called for evidence. (Kashmir attack live: Pakistan open to Pahalgam ‘neutral’ investigation) |
| UN Sec-Gen António Guterres | Condemned attack on civilians as “unacceptable”. |
| US President Trump | Phoned Modi, expressed “full support” in bringing perpetrators to justice. (Indian military says Pakistani troops fired at positions along the border in disputed Kashmir) |
India–Pakistan Escalation After the Attack
The slaughter rapidly spilled into geopolitics:
- Diplomatic Downgrade – India expelled Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner; Islamabad reciprocated. (Grief, anger and a tourist exodus follow mass slaughter in Kashmir)
- Indus Waters Treaty Suspended – New Delhi halted the 1960 pact; Pakistan warned of flooding risk from excess water release.
- Border Fire – Indian Army reported two nights of Pakistani firing across LoC; no casualties. (Indian military says Pakistani troops fired at positions along the border in disputed Kashmir)
- Airspace & Visa Curbs – Pakistan closed airspace to India; India cancelled Pakistani visas except medical emergencies. (Pahalgam Terror Attack Live Updates: Legal action will be taken …)
Economic & Social Repercussions
Tourism Crash
Within 48 hours, hotel cancellations exceeded 60 % valley-wide; charter operators rerouted itineraries to Himachal Pradesh. (Grief, anger and a tourist exodus follow mass slaughter in Kashmir) Stakeholders fear a ₹1,200 crore loss this season.
Communal Fallout
Reports of Kashmiri students harassed in several Indian cities surged. Police registered 23 incidents of assault or eviction in three days. Muslim organisations issued nationwide condemnations to counter sectarian backlash.
Security Manpower Debate
Parliament’s defence panel learned the Army is 100,000 personnel short, partly due to recruitment freezes. Critics argue overstretched forces contributed to slow initial response at Baisaran.
Ongoing Operations & Current Status (26 April 2025)
- 1,500 people detained in cordon-and-search drives across Anantnag district.
- Demolition of five suspected militants’ homes completed to “smoke out facilitators”.
- LoC surveillance drones increased by 40 %.
- Foreign tourist advisories (UK, UAE, Australia) list south Kashmir as “no travel”.
What Comes Next?
Security analysts caution that capturing the gunmen may take weeks given dense forests and possible cross-border exfiltration routes. Meanwhile, back-channel diplomacy—reportedly involving Iran—aims to cool Indo-Pak escalation. Tour operators petition New Delhi for a safety-marketing fund once raids end. Families of the deceased demand a public inquiry into why prior intelligence did not translate into ground protection.
Conclusion
The Pahalgam attack 2025 shattered Kashmir’s tourism revival and re-ignited an India-Pakistan crisis. Its legacy will hinge on two tests: whether investigators can deliver justice swiftly and whether political leaders resist the pull of sectarian polarisation. As vigils continue from Srinagar to Chennai, one survivor’s plea sums up the public mood: “No more tourists should die where we came seeking peace.”