29/04/2025
Following intelligence alerts warning of further terror strikes, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has shut down 48 of the 87 designated tourist destinations across the Kashmir Valley. The move comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.
According to sources, intercepted communications confirm that sleeper cells have been activated in the Valley after the attack, with instructions to initiate fresh strikes. Intelligence reports accessed by India Today suggest that terror outfits are planning targeted attacks on security personnel and non-local civilians in the coming days.
The intelligence also points to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directing these operations, with specific plans to target Kashmiri Pandits, railway employees, and CID officials—particularly in Srinagar and Ganderbal.
Reports indicate that active terror groups across North, Central, and South Kashmir are preparing for selective killings and potentially larger, high-impact attacks. These are believed to be retaliatory in nature, responding to the recent demolition of houses linked to active terrorists after the Pahalgam attack.
Security agencies have flagged railway infrastructure as a possible target, especially given the presence of non-local railway staff in the region. Railway personnel have been instructed to remain within camp premises and avoid movement outside barracks.
To counter the threat, anti-fidayeen units—primarily drawn from the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group—have been deployed at key tourist hubs such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and the Dal Lake area. Security protocols have been significantly ramped up across the Valley.
The April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam, was carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists and has since triggered a mass exodus of tourists from the region. Authorities fear that ongoing attempts by tourists to return may face renewed threats.
In response, security forces have launched a state-wide anti-terror operation involving sweeping raids and the detention of hundreds of suspects and sympathisers.
