SRINAGAR, India— A suspected terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir has left at least 20 people feared dead after gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists visiting a popular hillside meadow, officials said Tuesday.
The shooting occurred near Baisaran, a scenic area roughly three miles from the tourist town of Pahalgam, a key summer destination in the region.
Police said militants targeted civilians, mostly Indian tourists, in what is being described as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region in recent years.
“This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in a statement on social media. “The death toll is still being ascertained.”
Security sources offered varying estimates, placing the number of fatalities between 20 and 26. Details on the identities of the victims have yet to be released.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack, vowing swift justice. “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice. They will not be spared,” he said. “Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable.”
Home Minister Amit Shah said he was heading to the region to chair a high-level security review.
Kashmir has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the territory in full but govern it in part.
An armed insurgency has persisted since 1989, although violence has largely subsided in recent years, allowing for a surge in tourism.
This latest attack follows a June 2024 incident in which at least nine Hindu pilgrims were killed and dozens injured after militants opened fire on a bus, causing it to plunge into a gorge.
Tuesday’s assault comes just one day after U.S. Vice President JD Vance began a four-day visit to India, raising concerns that the attack may have been timed to draw international attention.
Indian authorities have stepped up security across the region, while investigations are underway to identify the perpetrators.
Attacks targeting tourists have become increasingly rare in Kashmir, where the government has been promoting the area as a safe and scenic travel destination.
The incident threatens to undermine that perception and could deal a blow to the region’s recovering tourism industry.
