At least 25 Tourists Killed in Shooting in Jammu and Kashmir, India

At least 25 tourists were killed and approximately two dozen more injured in a shooting incident in the Jammu and Kashmir union territory in northern India. TASS, citing the news portal The Print, reported the initial figures.

Other Indian media outlets are reporting varying casualty counts, ranging from one to five fatalities. Indian authorities have not yet released official figures on the number of dead or injured. Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, stated that "this attack is far larger than any directed at civilians in recent years."

The incident occurred in Pahalgam, near the Baysaran Valley, where unidentified armed assailants opened fire on tourists ascending a trail. Security forces and medical personnel rushed to the scene after the shooting. Details of the incident are still emerging. Local authorities have labeled the attack as a terrorist act.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently visiting Saudi Arabia, spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to take necessary action and visit the site. Modi's statement on X (formerly Twitter) pledged unwavering determination to combat terrorism, emphasizing it will only grow stronger. Shah, in a separate X post, vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, stating that "those responsible for this heinous terrorist act will not go unpunished. We will resolutely and severely punish the guilty." He also announced that he was traveling to Jammu and Kashmir to hold an urgent security meeting with all the relevant agencies.