KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, April 22: In a swift response to one of the deadliest terror strikes targeting civilians in recent memory, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening, just hours after militants opened fire on a group of civilians at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in South Kashmir, killing 28, most of them tourists.
The Home Minister was received at Sheikh-ul-Alam International Airport by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and other senior officials. In a brief but intense tarmac meeting, CM Omar is learned to have apprised Shah of the initial findings and gravity of the attack.
From the airport, Shah drove straight to Raj Bhavan where he is slated to chair a high-level security review meeting late Tuesday evening. Highly placed sources confirmed that the meeting will include the participation of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Director of Intelligence Bureau, ADGP CID, IGP CRPF, GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, and other senior security officials.
The Home Minister’s visit underscores the Centre’s seriousness in tackling the security fallout from the Pahalgam massacre, which has sent shockwaves across the country and revived painful memories of past attacks on civilian gatherings.
Sources further confirmed that Shah will be visiting the attack site at Baisaran near Pahalgam on Wednesday morning to take firsthand stock of the situation and meet with the families of the victims if conditions permit.
Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Suchendra Kumar also landed in Srinagar on Tuesday. Defence sources informed KD News Service that the General, who was in New Delhi attending a high-level security conference, cut short his engagements to return to the Valley. He is expected to be briefed by local formation commanders on the evolving security situation in South Kashmir, particularly in the Pahalgam sector.
The attack at Baisaran — a picturesque meadow that draws hundreds of tourists during spring and summer — has shaken the region. Armed militants reportedly opened indiscriminate fire on groups of civilians, including tourists from various states, at around 1:45 PM, causing panic and chaos. The death toll has climbed to 28, making it the most devastating attack on civilians in recent years.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, visibly shaken by the magnitude of the tragedy, called it “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.” He has called for unity and resilience in the face of terror and vowed that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
As Kashmir reels from the horrific bloodshed, security forces have been placed on maximum alert across the Valley, particularly in tourist hubs and vulnerable areas. Mobile internet has been suspended in some parts of South Kashmir as a precautionary measure, and additional deployment of troops has been ordered.
The next 48 hours are likely to see a flurry of high-level engagements, security recalibrations, and outreach to victims’ families as the Valley mourns yet another tragedy in its long and painful history.
