As panic gripped Pahalgam in South Kashmir on Tuesday after terrorists attacked a popular tourist spot, leaving at least 26 people dead and several injured. But why did the terrorists pick Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley for carrying out the deadliest attacks on the Indian territory? Probably, the answer is: It’s Terrain.
The rescue operation became difficult because of the difficult and muddy terrain of the area. CNN-News18 on reaching the spot, found that the muddy and steep track to Baisaran led to the delayed response of forces to evacuate the injured. Rescue operations were complicated by the rugged terrain, but helicopters and local pony handlers were swiftly mobilised to evacuate the wounded.
The location of the attack is around 85 kilometres from Srinagar, in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Security across the Kashmir Valley has been increased after the killing of several tourists in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday. The joint combing operation by the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police is underway in the region. The operation has reportedly expanded to 5 5-kilometre radius from the attack location in Pahalgam.
Special forces, sniffer dogs and other technical intelligence means have been deployed to track down the attackers.
In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar shadow group, took responsibility for the attack.
Intelligence sources and eyewitnesses told News18 that the terrorists inquired about the religion before shooting the tourists dead. Videos of the attack showed panic and chaos at the tourist spot, termed as “mini Switzerland".
