On Tuesday afternoon, two newlyweds, Shubham Dwivedi and Aishanya Pandey, rented horses to ride up a hill in the Baisaran Valley of Kashmir, seeking a picturesque view of the region. However, less than an hour later, Mr. Dwivedi was killed in a shooting incident that left 26 people dead and 17 others injured.
The attack, which occurred near Pahalgam, is one of the most severe assaults on Indian civilians in recent decades. It underscores the ongoing vulnerability of the region, which has been contested by India and Pakistan, despite a period of relative calm and increased tourism following the Indian government's actions to tighten control over Kashmir in 2019.
Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of chaos as blood spilled from victims and people pleaded for their lives. Video footage captured a woman, newly married, sitting beside her deceased husband, wearing traditional wedding bangles. Waseem Khan, a member of the tourism police, recounted the moments leading up to the attack, initially mistaking the gunfire for celebratory firecrackers.
Victims included ordinary tourists attracted to Kashmir’s beauty, many of whom were families and friends enjoying the scenery. A group of salespeople on a company trip narrowly escaped the attack due to a delay caused by stopping for ice cream.
Kashmir has a history of violence linked to the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, with both nations laying claim to the region. In 2019, India revoked the region's semiautonomous status, aiming to enhance development and integration into the Indian economy. This move led to a surge in tourism, particularly during the warmer months.
In the aftermath of the attack, many tourists fled Pahalgam, causing concerns for local businesses reliant on tourism. Mushtaq Pahalgami, president of the local hotel and guest house owners association, reported that nearly all of the 7,000 tourists present at the time of the attack had departed by Wednesday morning, despite offers of accommodation from locals.
The incident has raised serious questions about the security situation in the area, as some survivors noted that the attackers appeared calm and unhurried, raising concerns regarding the effectiveness of security measures in place.