India blames Pakistan after Kashmir terror attack kills 26 tourists

India vows retaliation after Kashmir terror attack kills 26 civilians, intensifying conflict with Pakistan.

A local Kashmiri photographer captures images of an Indian tourist in a boat as an Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard along the bank of Dal Lake, following an attack on Indian tourists by gunmen on April 24, 2025, in Srinagar, India. Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

On Monday, 47-year-old Girish Sharma, his wife Prema, and their six-year-old son arrived in the idyllic meadows of Pahalgam, Kashmir, for a much-anticipated family vacation. Nestled near the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, Pahalgam had recently emerged as a symbol of peace and growing tourism in the region. Like many domestic travelers, the Sharma family believed Kashmir was now safe for visitors.

But within 24 hours of their departure from Pahalgam, tragedy struck. Armed assailants opened fire on tourists, killing 26 civilians, most of them Hindu pilgrims. The massacre — the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks — has reignited tensions between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi swiftly blaming Islamabad for harboring and aiding the militants responsible.

Shock and grief spread across India

As images of bloodstained paths and desperate survivors began circulating on social media and news broadcasts, a wave of sorrow and anger swept across India. One heart-wrenching photograph of a woman named Himanshi kneeling beside the lifeless body of her husband, naval officer Vinay Narwal — just days after their wedding — became emblematic of the attack’s brutality.

Speaking from Srinagar, Prema Sharma expressed disbelief. “We came to Kashmir because everyone said it was finally safe. How could this happen in such a highly secured area?”

That question echoed across the nation as the public demanded answers and accountability from authorities. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a fiery speech, vowing retribution and pledging to hunt down “every terrorist and their backers.” Modi promised that India would “pursue them to the end of the earth,” signaling a hardline stance against cross-border terrorism.

Diplomatic shockwaves and cross-border tensions

World leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Modi to offer condolences and support. Meanwhile, New Delhi took immediate diplomatic and strategic actions. India expelled Pakistani diplomats, suspended the decades-old Indus Water Treaty, and announced the closure of its land border with Pakistan starting May 1.

India's security forces believe the attack was orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based militant group that carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir released sketches of three suspects, two of whom were identified as Pakistani nationals. The police labeled them as LeT operatives and released photographs of their homes being destroyed in retaliation.

India has also claimed “cross-border linkages” with Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of supplying arms, logistics, and safe havens to the attackers. Pakistan, however, denied any involvement, condemned the killings, and retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian aircraft and suspending the 1972 peace accord. It warned that India’s move to block shared water resources would be considered “an act of war.”

Religious targeting sparks national outrage

The targeting of Hindus in a Hindu-majority country has deepened the sense of outrage and vulnerability. According to Indian security sources, the gunmen specifically asked tourists to separate by religion before opening fire on those who identified as Hindu. Anushka Mone, who lost her husband and two relatives, told a national television channel that the attackers demanded Hindus identify themselves and then shot them point-blank. Her account has not been independently verified but is widely circulating in Indian media.

The massacre has fueled anti-Muslim sentiment across parts of India. Several Kashmiri students living in cities outside the region have reported being assaulted or receiving death threats. Nasir Khuehami, spokesperson for the J&K Students Association, said at least nine such incidents were recorded this week, calling it a “worrying spillover” of communal tension.

A political and security blow for Modi

The attack poses a major political challenge to Modi, whose administration has prided itself on bringing normalcy to Kashmir since revoking the region’s semi-autonomous status in 2019. That move, followed by widespread arrests and media crackdowns, was touted as the beginning of a new peaceful era for Kashmir. Tourist arrivals had increased, cinemas reopened, and Indian investors began returning.

But the massacre has cast doubt on claims of stability. Military historian and former army officer Srinath Raghavan remarked, “By targeting Kashmir’s softest spot — tourism — the attackers have sent a message that the peace narrative is fragile and perhaps even illusory.”

Tourism collapses and fear grips the valley

In the aftermath of the massacre, thousands of tourists fled the Kashmir valley. Indian airlines operated emergency flights to evacuate stranded visitors, with outbound flights packed and inbound ones nearly empty. Srinagar’s newly opened hotels now stand nearly vacant. Local police have intensified security checks, halting vehicles at random and verifying IDs.

Security footage of the attackers’ homes being destroyed was aired on national television as authorities attempt to reassure the public and reassert control. Yet even local Kashmiris, many of whom condemned the violence, are skeptical of the government’s explanations.

“If Kashmiris didn’t do this, then who did?” asked Junaid Dar, a hotel employee in Srinagar. “We hear about ‘unknown gunmen,’ but we want to know who they really are.”

Mounting pressure for accountability

At an all-party meeting in New Delhi, government officials reportedly acknowledged failures in intelligence and preparedness. Critics say that despite heavy militarization, the attackers managed to breach security with devastating consequences.

With national elections on the horizon, the massacre may shape voter sentiment. The Modi government faces scrutiny not only for its handling of Kashmir but also for how it navigates the diplomatic fallout with Pakistan.

Kashmir’s fragile peace at risk

The attack in Pahalgam has once again revealed the volatility that lies just beneath Kashmir’s surface. The region has experienced periods of calm before, only to be rocked by sudden waves of violence. This time, the assault on civilians — including children and newlyweds — has shattered any remaining illusions of lasting peace.

For families like the Sharmas, who had hoped to introduce their young son to Kashmir’s beauty, the emotional scars will linger. “We will never return,” said Girish Sharma. “Not because Kashmir isn’t beautiful — it is. But because the fear is real now.”

As India mourns its dead and vows retaliation, the specter of war looms once again over the subcontinent. The world watches anxiously, hoping that another chapter of bloodshed between two nuclear-armed neighbors can still be avoided.