‘Our hearts bleed today’: How terrorist attack shook fragile stability in Kashmir

Tourism in the region faces a devastating setback as the Indian government vows tough retaliation against the attackers

On Tuesday morning, life was vibrant in the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, surrounded by pine-covered mountains and snow-kissed peaks where the air was crisp, clean, and chilled, Manju Tripathi, 37, a tourist from Gujarat, recalls.

By afternoon, everything had changed, as a volley of bullets rang in the air after a group of terrorists who emerged from nearby forests fired indiscriminately at tourists, killing 26 people, including a local tour guide. 

At the time, officials estimate that 1,000-1,500 tourists were present in the high-altitude, lush meadow, which is only accessible on foot or by horseback.

“We had left the Baisaran Valley and were in Pahalgam, having lunch at a restaurant, when we heard about the attack. Everyone was panicked and there was chaos all around,” Tripathi told RT at the airport from where she was rushing back to her home state along with a group of her family members who had come for a week-long visit to Kashmir.

Tripathi said that the family cut short their trip in fear and left for their home. “We could never have imagined that this would happen in Kashmir, which everyone assured was peaceful now,” she said. “We had seen and heard about the beauty of Kashmir on social media and thought this was the mini-Switzerland.”

Shubam Dwivedi, 29, got married on February 12. He was in Pahalgam with his wife to enjoy the time, little suspecting that this would be his last vacation.

“We could identify his body from the video on social media. Shubham’s wife told us that terrorists asked his name before shooting him,” Saurabh Dwivedi, his cousin, said as the family mourned the loss.

The family was a group of 11 people who has arrived in Kashmir on April 18 and were supposed to depart on April 23.

“While the rest of the family was a little away, Shubam and his wife were at Baisaran at that time. We feel devastated,” his father, Sanjay Dwivedi, said, adding that his son and daughter-in-law were having snacks on the meadow when he was targeted.

Deadliest attack in recent history

The attack in Pahalgam marks the deadliest assault on civilians in Kashmir in recent years. While the region has a history of violence for decades, the insurgency erupted in the early 1990s, but direct attacks on tourists have been relatively rare. 

In 1995, six foreign tourists were abducted in Pahalgam by the terrorist group Al-Faran. One was killed, another escaped, and the remaining four were never found.

In 2000, 32 people, including 21 Hindu pilgrims, were killed at Nunwan in Pahalgam by terrorists. The latest attack’s scale and targeting of civilians highlight a concerning shift in terrorist tactics.

In February 2019, 40 Indian paramilitary troopers were killed in an attack on a highway that India blamed on Pakistan and triggered a war-like situation between the two countries.

In June of last year, terrorists ambushed a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in the Reasi district in southern Jammu, killing nine people and injuring several others. 

“This is something that I have never seen in my life in Kashmir. This incident has shaken the core of us,” said Sami Ullah, 30, a resident of Srinagar associated with the travel business. “This incident will devastate the livelihood of millions in Kashmir.”

Rise in tourism 

In August 2019, the ruling government led by the BJP stripped the region of its limited autonomy by abrogation Article-370, a seven-decade old law which gave exclusive citizenship rights to the permanent residents of the region and barred outsiders from securing jobs, land and scholarships.

New Delhi reasoned that the move was aimed at bringing development and peace to the region and wiping out insurgency.

Due to the improvement in the security situation, Kashmir has witnessed a significant surge in tourism in recent years. Government figures show that last year 23 million tourists visited the region. In 2018, 16 million tourists visited the region.

The government’s efforts to promote the region as a safe travel destination led to record tourist arrivals, which were expected to spike this year and helped to give a boost to the local economy in the hospitality, transport, and handicraft sectors.

However, the deadly attack has turned the vibrant tourist spot into a ghost town now, which has been emptied, and hotels are now lying vacant as most tourists are either leaving or have already left the region. The Srinagar International Airport has been witnessing a crowd of people who are fleeing the region by cutting short their stay.

“We mourn with the families of the victims who were killed. Our hearts are heavy and eyes are wet,” said Abdul Rasheed, a boat rider in the main city of Srinagar, as dozens of boats lay in rows empty near the banks of the lake waiting for visitors.

“Our hearts broke into pieces when we saw everyone leaving in panic. We are ashamed of what has happened, our hearts bleed today. This scar will remain etched forever and has cost the livelihoods of the poor people,” he said.

The killings sparked a shutdown in the region, where hundreds of locals and politicians took to the streets to condemn the incident.

“We condemn this. These attacks hit the local lives and bring economic disaster,” said Shabir Ahmad, 25, a taxi driver in Srinagar. “Is this the paradise on earth? This is hell on earth where such things happen. This has taken away our peace and prosperity.”

Timing of the attack

The attack happened days after Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s speech in which he referred to Kashmir as the “jugular vein” of Pakistan, potentially signaling a hardline stance. 

The attack also coincided with the Indian visit of US Vice President J.D. Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia. In the past, similar attacks have also occurred during high-profile visits, such as in 2000, during then-US President Bill Clinton’s trip to India, when 35 Sikh men were killed in the southern village of Chittisingpura, suggesting a pattern aimed at drawing international attention.

The international community’s response to Kashmir has always been influenced by broader geopolitical interests, but there has been widespread global condemnation of the latest attack. Experts say sustained engagement in resolving the underlying issues has been limited and needs to be addressed. 

“The recent attack underscores the need for a more proactive international role in facilitating dialogue between India and Pakistan, to address Kashmir’s political problem so that such incidents do not repeat,” said Idrees Ahmad, a researcher based in Kashmir.

“The region needs peace and stability so that everyone can feel safe who visit,” he added.

Manoj K Channnan, a former army official, says this was a calculated strike.  “This wasn’t just an attack on civilians – it was a calculated strike on India’s credibility, timed with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance. Today, Kashmir faces a new breed of militancy. Intelligence estimates indicate the presence of around 60 foreign terrorists in the Valley. Half of them are linked to The Resistance Front (TRF) – a proxy outfit for Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating under a softer, more local-sounding label to dodge global scrutiny.”

He says that beyond the tactical fallout, this attack has strategic consequences for the Kashmir Valley. 

“In recent years, tourism has picked up dramatically… Kashmir felt hopeful again. Now, that confidence is cracked. Tourists will cancel bookings, airlines will scale back flights, and hotels and houseboats will see empty rooms. The economic loss to local Kashmiris will be staggering, and once again, they will face the impossible dilemma of surviving in a conflict economy,” he added.

Haseeb Drabu, former finance minister in the region, shares these concerns. “The revival of trade and commerce, which accounts for 40% of the local economy, has been suddenly and brutally cut short, and the livelihood of lakhs of families has been seriously impaired.” He added the economic shock will persist and linger on for months, if not years, to come.