Pahalgam attack: Amit Shah to hold urgent meeting in Srinagar, says perpetrators won’t be spared

Union Home Minister Amit Shah left for Srinagar on Tuesday evening to review the security situation after several tourists were killed in a major terror attack at Pahalgam in Anantnag district.

Shah, who held an emergency high-level meeting in Delhi soon after the attack, said those involved in this “dastardly act of terror” would not be spared.

“Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased. Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared, and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” he wrote on X.

The home minister further said he had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the incident and held a meeting with the officials concerned via video conferencing. 

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, who was in the national capital, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka and a few senior officials accompanied the home minister to Srinagar.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the incident and termed it as an act of cowardice.

"Deeply anguished by the news of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir). This dastardly attack on innocent civilians is an act of cowardice and highly reprehensible. My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families," Singh said.

According to reports, at least five tourists lost their lives while 20 others were injured as terrorists sprayed bullets at them from a close range.

According to initial reports, the terrorists emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran which was once dubbed as a 'mini Switzerland' because of its long lush green meadows.