According to police, the picturesque valleys of Kashmir have been marred by a brutal attack that left 26 tourists dead and 17 injured. The serene meadows of Pahalgam, a favorite among travelers, turned into a nightmare as suspected militants opened fire indiscriminately.
The police said this attack is the deadliest in nearly two decades, which raises unsettling questions about the region’s fragile peace. Is Kashmir truly on the path to stability, or is this a grim reminder of the unresolved tensions that have plagued the region for decades?
It is the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings and has shattered the relative peace in Kashmir, where tourism has flourished as an anti-India insurgency has declined in recent years.
Kashmir has been a hotbed of conflict since 1947, when India and Pakistan gained independence. The territorial dispute has led to wars, insurgencies, and countless civilian casualties. In 2019, India revoked Kashmir’s special status, promising development and peace.
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According to the police, the recent attack occurred on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran Valley in the Pahalgam area of the scenic Himalayan federal territory, and the dead included 25 Indians and one Nepalese national.
The attackers, reportedly linked to the “Kashmir Resistance,” have justified their actions by alleging that the tourists were undercover agents. It expressed discontent that more than 85,000 “outsiders” had been settled in the region, spurring a “demographic change.”
Whether this claim holds water or not, the incident has undeniably shattered the region’s booming tourism industry, a lifeline for many locals.
