Srinagar: In a swift and decisive move, Union Home Minister Amit Shah landed in Srinagar today evening, just hours after one of the most horrific terror attacks in recent memory shook Kashmir and the nation. The brutal assault at Baisaran near Pahalgam claimed the lives of 28 civilians, most of them Hindu tourists, and left several others injured.
Upon his arrival, Shah was received at the Sheikh-ul-Alam International Airport by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, and senior intelligence and administration officials. According to sources, CM Omar Abdullah personally briefed the Union Home Minister at the airport, providing an initial assessment of the attack and its immediate aftermath.
Without delay, Shah headed straight to Raj Bhavan, where he is scheduled to chair a high-level security review meeting to evaluate the ground situation and to chart out immediate counter-terror measures. The crucial meeting will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, top brass from intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces, and the Army, including the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Chinar Corps.
According to officials, the Home Minister will visit the attack site at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Wednesday, to personally assess the situation, meet survivors, and offer condolences to the bereaved families.
In a parallel development, Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Suchendra Kumar also arrived in the Valley to take stock of the security landscape. Defence sources confirmed that the Army commander, who was in Delhi attending a strategic security conference, cut short his engagement and flew into Srinagar late Tuesday afternoon. He is expected to receive a detailed briefing from local formation commanders on the evolving threat landscape and counter-insurgency operations being launched in response.
Earlier in the day, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on civilians at Baisaran, a picturesque meadow six kilometers from Pahalgam, turning a site of natural beauty into a blood-soaked tragedy.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in an emotional statement, described the attack as “a scale of civilian targeting we haven’t witnessed in recent years,” calling for a united, national resolve to crush terrorism.
As India grieves, the top leadership’s immediate presence in the Valley sends a powerful message — the fight against terror will not be delayed, and justice for the innocent will be pursued with full force.
