PTI
Security guards compete on the scene after security guards fire on a group of tourists in Pahargam
At least five people have been killed after burns were fired on a group of domestic tourists visiting India-controlled beauty spots in Kashmir, authorities told the BBC.
The attack took place in Pahargam, a picturesque Himalayan town often referred to as “India Switzerland.”
Omar Abdullah, the region’s prime minister, said the attack was “a lot bigger than what has been directed at civilians in recent years.”
Reports say many people were also injured in the attack. Regional lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said the army and police were deployed on the scene.
Describing the incident as a “co-sick terrorist attack on tourists,” Sinha wrote to X:
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. There have been long-term rebellions in the majority of Muslim regions since 1989, but violence has declined in recent years.
The attack took place at Baisaran, a pasture on the summit, three miles (5km) from Pahargam.
Video footage posted by Indian media appears to show Indian troops running towards the scene of the attack, but other footage can be heard saying that gunmen have chosen non-Muslims.
Police said several tourists were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. The area is locked down and searches are underway to find the perpetrator.
Since the 1990s, armed separatist rebellions against Indian rule in the region have taken tens of thousands of lives, including civilians and security forces.
The Himalayas were divided in 1947 following India’s independence from the UK, and the division and creation of Pakistan.
Both nuclear-armed states have argued for the entire region, and have since fought two wars and limited conflicts about them in decades.
Approximately 500,000 Indian soldiers are permanently deployed on the territory.
The fighting has diminished since Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled partial autonomy in Kashmir in 2019, but there are still incidents of violence.
Pahargam is a popular tourist destination and depicts both domestic and international tourists.
According to official figures, around 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir in 2024.
