Five tourists feared dead, eight injured in militant attack in Indian Kashmir

Police checkpoint in Indian Kashmir

At least five tourists are feared dead and eight others injured after suspected militants opened fire on a group of visitors in Pahalgam, a scenic town in India’s Kashmir region, marking the deadliest attack on tourists in the area in nearly a year.

The shooting occurred on Tuesday in the popular hill station located in the Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir. The area, known for its picturesque landscapes and religious pilgrimage routes, typically attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists each summer.

A newly wed man was a victim, seen here with the bereaved spouse. On the far left is another victim on the floor.

According to a police source, the injured were immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment. Although authorities have not released an official statement on the casualty figures, initial reports indicated one confirmed fatality and at least seven others wounded, with numbers later rising to suggest five fatalities.

Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir, has historically remained a relatively peaceful tourist zone even as other parts of the region faced insurgency. However, Tuesday’s attack underscores the persistent threat posed by militant groups operating in the disputed Himalayan territory.

The Kashmir conflict, which began in earnest in 1989, has claimed tens of thousands of lives amid an ongoing insurgency against Indian rule. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in full but govern separate portions. Although militant activity has decreased in recent years, incidents like this reveal the fragile nature of the current peace.

Attacks on tourists in Kashmir are rare but not without precedent. The last significant assault targeting visitors occurred in June, when at least nine Hindu pilgrims were killed and over 30 injured after their bus was attacked and subsequently plunged into a gorge.

In 2019, the Indian government revoked the region's semi-autonomous status and reorganized it into two federally administered territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The move escalated tensions with neighboring Pakistan and intensified scrutiny of the region’s internal security.