People wailing for help as loved ones lay in pools of blood

People wait outside Government Medical College and Associated Hospital Anantnag where injured people are being treated after terrorists attacked a group of tourists. Pic: PTI

Pahalgam (JK): Shrieks for help pierced the skies of Baisaran meadows in this south Kashmir resort as more than a dozen tourists lay motionless in pools of blood following one of the deadliest terror attacks on civilians in recent years in J-K.

Heavily armed terrorists walked out of the woods of Baisaran, a meadow atop a hill here, and surrounded a group of around 40 tourists. The terrorists started firing on the tourists indiscriminately, leaving multiple people dead and injuring at least 20.

Eyewitnesses claimed that as soon as the bullets started flying, the handful of locals who earn a livelihood from tourism ran for safety, leaving the tourists as sitting ducks.

"My husband was shot in the head... he was shot for not being a Muslim. Seven others are injured in the attack," a woman survivor told PTI over phone.

The woman, who did not identify herself, pleaded for help in evacuating the injured to the hospital.

"Bhaiyya please mere husband ko bacha lo (Brother, please save my husband)," the woman pleaded frantically with this reporter.

As the famed meadows are only accessible by foot or ponies, authorities had to summon choppers for the evacuation of the injured, officials said.

However, before the helicopter arrived at the scene, some of the injured were brought down by local people on their ponies.

Locals help

The local tourist guides and ponywallahs consoled the survivors even as they summoned more people to evacuate the injured tourists on their shoulders to the nearest motorable point.

As soon as the news of the attack broke out, the roads and streets of Pahalgam wore a deserted look as the tourists, who had come in numbers, left the resort town to safer places.

A video of the Pahalgam attack site emerged showing several people bleeding and lying motionless on the ground while women tourists were wailing and looking for their near and dear ones. Some were too stunned to react and were being helped by locals.

The incident comes when Kashmir is witnessing a surge in tourist arrivals after reeling under militancy for years. Also, the 38-day Amarnath pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on July 3.

Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country travel to the Amarnath cave shrine from the twin routes -- the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

Baisaran is a major tourist place in Pahalgam besides being a campsite for trekkers who want to move further up to Tulian Lake.

Amit Shah reaches Srinagar to review security situation

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar to review the security situation in Kashmir following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed, officials said.

Hours after the attack on tourists, Shah rushed to Srinagar and drove straight to the Raj Bhavan from the airport. He is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting of security officials, the officials said.

The home minister is likely to visit Pahalgam on Wednesday, they added.

The toll is still being ascertained, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said while describing the terror attack as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years".

PM briefed

Shah briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia, and left for Srinagar soon after to hold an urgent security review meeting with all agencies.

"I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected,” the prime minister said on X.

"Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice... they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger," he added.

Jmmu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “The death toll is still being ascertained so I don't want to get into those details. They will be officially conveyed as the situation becomes clearer. Needless to say this attack is much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

The office of Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said anti-terror ops had been launched to neutralise terrorists.

“Entire nation is angry & blood of our forces is boiling. I want to assure the nation that perpetrators of Pahalgam attack will have to pay a very heavy price for their heinous act.”

Security beefed up in Jammu amid call for protests

Jammu: Security has been beefed up across Jammu as various outfits have called for protests on Wednesday to condemn a deadly terror attack on tourists in south Kashmir's Pahalgam tourist resort, officials said.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress and several right-wing groups have announced major protests in Jammu city and elsewhere on Wednesday.

Officials said a high-level security meeting, jointly chaired by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, is underway at the Police Control Room here to chalk out a strategy to deal with the situation.

Additional police and paramilitary forces have already been deployed in sensitive areas as a precautionary measure to maintain peace and law and order, they said.

The Congress has asked all its leaders and workers of the Jammu urban and rural blocks and frontal wings to assemble at the party headquarters here on Wednesday morning for a protest against the terror attack.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), the Dogra Front and the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, besides the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lawyers and various market associations have also called for protests in the city on Wednesday. Mission Statehood president Sunil Dimple staged an anti-Pakistan protest in Jammu city, while reports of agitations also came in from various district headquarters, including Doda, Kathua and Poonch.

Emergency helpline for tourists

Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday set up a round-the-clock emergency helpline to assist tourists in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

"A 24x7 emergency help desk has been established by Anantnag district administration for tourists requiring assistance or information. Tourists can contact 01932222337, 7780885759, 9697982527 or 6006365245 for information or assistance," an official spokesperson said.

He said an emergency control room has been established in Srinagar as well.

Tourists can contact 01942457543, 01942483651 or 7006058623 for assistance on the Pahalgam terror incident, he said.