Days before the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left 26 tourists dead, intelligence agencies had raised red flags about potential threats targeting visitors, particularly those staying in hotels on the outskirts of Srinagar near the Zabarwan foothills, officials said.
In response, police ramped up security in areas like Dachigam and Nishat, with senior officers overseeing combing operations, reported Press Trust of India.
These precautions followed the October 2024 attack on a construction site in Gangangir, Sonamarg, which killed seven, including a doctor.
Despite a two-week-long search, security forces were unable to uncover any imminent threat, and operations were called off on April 22—the very day terrorists struck in Pahalgam.
According to officials, intelligence had also indicated a possible attempt to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to flag off the Katra-Srinagar train line. The event, originally scheduled for April 19, was postponed due to weather warnings, but sources claim Pakistan-based actors aimed to overshadow it with violence.
The Pahalgam attack, investigators believe, involved two local militants blending in with tourists before directing them toward a food court where two suspected Pakistani militants opened fire.
Officials say the assault was designed to incite panic and possibly provoke backlash against Kashmiris across India.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reportedly contacted top leaders in Delhi, ensuring that state governments were instructed to protect Kashmiri residents outside the region.
Security officials also raised alarms about the evolving nature of militancy in the region, pointing to the recovery of advanced weapons like M-series rifles and sniper gear, likely sourced from NATO stockpiles left behind in Afghanistan.
They cautioned against using tourist footfall as a barometer for peace, recalling how a similar claim by former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2006 was followed by a deadly attack on a tourist bus near Srinagar.
On other issues, officials clarified that Baisaran meadow remains open to tourists except during the Amarnath Yatra and heavy snowfall. A recent Rs 3 crore contract has led to the area being fenced and equipped with facilities like a zipline.
Meanwhile, the controversial tactic of house demolition in of militants has been paused following requests from the elected Jammu Kashmir government.
Officials also noted the public anger following the Pahalgam killings, which sparked widespread protests across the Valley—reminiscent of the mass outrage seen during the Nirbhaya case in 2012.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
