Tourists feel 'safe' in J&K's Srinagar, Pahalgam deserted after attack

Amid heightened security following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives, tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Srinagar say they feel safe and welcomed, crediting the warmth and support of locals.
While Dal Lake remains lively with visitors enjoying the picturesque landscape of the valley, nearby Pahalgam appears deserted, with a heavy security presence replacing the usual tourist crowds.
"I don't feel good about leaving today. I've had a great time here. The hoteliers have supported us throughout our stay. We felt no fear, and locals have been welcoming. Tourists must visit -- there is no fear as such," said Vikram Bhai Vyas, a tourist from Gujarat's Vadodara.
Another tourist, Bakul Sharma, who came to Srinagar on April 21, said, "We feel completely safe. There are no issues. There is no fear. People planning a visit should come."
Vaibhavi Vyas, also from Gujarat, said she felt reassured by the visible presence of army personnel in the region.
However, visuals from Pahalgam's Baisaran valley -- the site of the attack -- tell a different story. Once teeming with tourists, the area now shows sparse movement, limited to a few civilians and patrolling security forces.
Meanwhile, security agencies and Jammu and Kashmir authorities have intensified their crackdown on those linked to the attack.
On Saturday, authorities demolished another residential structure at Chotipora village in Shopian district, allegedly linked to a terrorist, believed to be involved in the Pahalgam attack.
Another house belonging to a suspect, identified as Zakir Ahmad Ganie, at Mutalhama village in Kulgam district was also demolished. Ganie has been active since 2023 and is believed to be directly involved in the attack.
Earlier on Friday, the house of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Adil Thokar, also known as Adil Guree, was demolished.
Adil Guree, a resident of Guree village in Bijbehara block of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, is believed to have been involved in the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national, mostly tourists. He has been declared the most wanted, and the Anantnag Police have offered a reward of Rs 20 lakh for any specific information leading to his arrest. Two Pakistani nationals were also declared most wanted in the case.
The attack on innocent civilians by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while leaving several others injured, has caused a huge uproar across the nation.
The Indian Army is on a high alert, launching several search operations to neutralise the terrorists following the attack in Pahalgam. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, with widespread protests erupting across the country, demanding stricter action against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Indian Express

12 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Two Pune cops suspended for extorting money from two on Law College Road

Two policemen have been suspended from service for allegedly extorting money from a man and his friend on the Law College Road in Pune city. The two had filed a complaint against the policemen identified as Ganesh Desai and Yogesh Surat, both attached to the Deccan police station in Pune. According to the police, a man was talking to his woman friend in a car on the Law College Road on Tuesday night. Desai and Sutar were on patrolling duty in this area. They allegedly threatened to file a case against the two and demanded Rs 20,000 for not taking the matter to the police station. The two cops allegedly took the man to an ATM centre near Kamla Nehru Park and forced him to withdraw the money. They let the man go after taking money from him. Later, the man and his friend went to the police station and filed a complaint against the two policemen. Senior police inspector Girisha Nimbalkar of Deccan police station conducted an inquiry against the two policemen. The inquiry report was submitted to Deputy Commissioner of Police Nikhil Pingle. Based on the findings of the inquiry, the two cops were suspended from service on Friday. Earlier this month, a case has been registered against a policeman for allegedly extorting money from a Chennai-based teenager who came to Bopdev Ghat area in Pune for taking photos. The teenager had lodged the FIR against the accused police constable and his friend at the Kondhwa police station. Subsequently, the policeman was suspended from service.

Time of India

18 minutes ago

• Time of India

Goods worth Rs4L looted from Fatuha warehouse

Patna: A robbery was carried out at a private warehouse in Fatuha late on Friday night. Around seven masked miscreants broke into the facility, located in Dumri, around midnight and held all eight employees hostage at gunpoint. According to the victims, the robbers remained inside the warehouse for several hours. During that time, they looted two drum bundles of wire, six cellphones, utensils and Rs 35,000 in cash. In total, goods worth approximately Rs 4 lakh were stolen. When some employees attempted to raise an alarm, the assailants beat them. Two workers sustained serious head injuries after being struck with the butts of pistols. The miscreants loaded the stolen items into a pickup van before fleeing the warehouse. The injured were initially taken to Fatuha Community Health Centre and later referred to more advanced medical facilities for further treatment. All the victims are residents of Basantpur village in the Attari police station area of Buxar. Rupak Kumar Ambuj, SHO of Fatuha police station, said the police were informed about the incident on Saturday morning. "The matter is being investigated. Nearby CCTV footage is being scanned. Police are making efforts to identify and arrest the miscreants. The incident took place when all the employees were sleeping in the warehouse. They woke up after hearing the noise. The miscreants carried out the loot after taking them hostage," he said.

India Today

22 minutes ago

• India Today

Odisha: 40 family members forced to tonsure heads after inter-caste marriage

Forty members of a woman's family were forced to shave their heads as part of a purification ritual after she married a man from a different caste in Odisha. The family was ostracised due to the inter-caste marriage and was made to undergo the ritual to be accepted back into incident happened in Baiganaguda village of Kashipur block in Rayagada district. The woman, from a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, married a man belonging to a Scheduled Caste from a neighbouring village recently. advertisementThe marriage sparked outrage among the villagers, who ostracised the family. The villagers allegedly demanded a purification ritual if the woman's family wanted to be accepted back into the community. If they refused to comply, the villagers warned the family of an indefinite social boycott. Under pressure from the villagers, the family carried out an animal sacrifice as per a ritual before the local deity, followed by a mass head-shaving ceremony. Only after this were they assured re-acceptance by the the news spread, Kashipur Block Development Officer (BDO) Vijay Soy ordered a detailed probe into the matter. A video of the family members sitting in a field with their heads shaved has also gone viral on social media.A block-level official has been sent to the village to investigate the incident. The administration has said appropriate action would be taken based on the this year, a family in Odisha was not allowed to conduct the last rites of a man who married a woman from a separate caste in Bargarh has a scheme that provides an incentive to couples in an inter-caste marriage to settle down. The government offers financial assistance of Rs 2.5 Watch