Ahmedabad, 23 April

Three tourists hailing from Gujarat were among the 26 persons killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said on Wednesday.

The Gujarat administration was in touch with the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to bring back the bodies, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel told reporters.

Shailesh Kalathiya from Surat, Yatish Parmar and his son Smit Parmar from Bhavnagar were among the 26 persons killed in the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday, as per officials.

"Three persons from Gujarat -- two from Bhavnagar and one from Surat -- were killed in the attack, while two were injured. The victim hailing from Surat lived in Mumbai. We are in touch with the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government to bring back the bodies. We have also started efforts to bring back other tourists who survived the attack," Patel said.

Kalathiya (44), belonging to Chikuwadi area in Surat city, shifted to Mumbai a few years back after he was transferred there, according to officials.

"Kalathiya's cousin told us that he shifted to Mumbai four years ago due to job transfer. He had gone to Pahalgam with his wife and two children. His wife and children are safe," Surat disaster management department's revenue officer Sajid Merujay said.

Yatish Parmar and his son Smit Parmer, residents of Kaliyabid area of Bhavnagar city, were a;sp among those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, district collector Manish Kumar Bansal said.

The two were among 19 persons from Bhavnagar who went to Kashmir on April 16 to attend religious preacher Morari Bapu's discourse there, according to sources.

Terrorists struck at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 persons, mostly tourists, and injuring several others.

Security has been beefed up across the valley, especially at vital tourist spots.