Srinagar, 22 April

Terrorists struck a prime tourist location of Pahalgham in South Kashmir on Tuesday, killing multiple people and injuring at least 20, officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the death toll is still being ascertained. "This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years," he said on X.

The incident occurred at around 3pm when terrorists came down from the mountain in Baisaran valley and started firing at the tourists who frequent the place which is often dubbed as 'mini Switzerland' because of its long lush green meadows.

The terror attack came at a time when US Vice President JD Vance along with his family is on a four-day visit to the country. He was in Rajasthan on Tuesday.

A purported video of the attack site emerged showing several people bleeding and lying motionless on the ground while women tourists were wailing and frantically looking for their near and dear ones. No independent official verification was available.

"I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased," CM Abdullah said.

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 3 July.

Authorities pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured persons, the officials said adding some of the injured were brought down from the meadows by local people on their ponies.

A doctor at the Pahalgam hospital said 12 injured tourists were admitted to the hospital and the condition of all of them was stable. "My husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack," a woman survivor told PTI over phone.

According to initial reports, the terrorists emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran, which was a famous spot for Bollywood movie makers in 1980s.

A little earlier, Army, CRPF and local police rushed to Baisaran meadows after the news started coming down to the town, a senior police official said here.

A massive anti-terrorist operation has been launched to hunt down the assailants as security forces have been fanned out in all directions, they said.

Meanwhile, Pahalgam resort which was teeming with tourists till this afternoon wore a deserted look soon after the attack with tourists leaving the place, fearing for their safety, the officials said.

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

The area is accessible through ponies from Pahalgam and enroute a panoramic view of the Pahalgam town and Lidder Valley could be seen.

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.