Now, Ramdev draws ire of MPs

Madhubani: In a stern message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers who were responsible for the attack in Pahalgam "beyond their imagination".

"Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world that India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth," Modi said addressing a public gathering here.

"India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished," the Prime Minister said in his first public remarks after the terror attack in Baisaran in Pahalgam that left at least 26 persons dead on Tuesday.

"Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is served. The entire nation stands firm in this resolve," he said.

"Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and the leaders who have stood with us in these times," the Prime Minister said in his brief remarks in English.

Modi asserted that the terrorists who carried out the attack and its planners will be "punished beyond their imagination".

He said the enemies of the country have dared to attack the soul of India.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi and a large crowd gathered here for a National Panchayati Raj Day programme observed silence for a few moments to pay homage to the victims of the terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Before beginning his speech, Modi urged the gathering to observe silence as a mark of respect to "our family members" who lost their lives in Pahalgam.

Modi urged the gathering to remain seated in silence to pay homage to the victims of the terror attack.

Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemned the terror attack at Pahalgam and told the prime minister that the entire nation was united against terrorism.

Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the entire nation had belief in Modi's strength and were confident he would give a befitting reply to the perpetrators of terror at an appropriate time.

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday released sketches of three individuals suspected to be involved in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed. The police have identified two of the suspects as Pakistani nationals and have announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for credible information leading to their arrest.

According to the notices made public by the Anantnag police, the suspects are: Hashim Musa alias Suleman, a citizen of Pakistan, Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, also a citizen of Pakistan and Abdul Hussain Thokar, a resident of Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir. All three are believed to be members of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The attack, which took place in Baisaran near Pahalgam on Tuesday, claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. It is one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the region in recent years.

In response to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strongly worded statement today during a public address in Bihar. In his first remarks since the incident, PM Modi said, "India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India's resolve will not falter. Terrorism will not go unpunished."

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Modi, held an emergency meeting yesterday and announced a set of five retaliatory measures against Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the media yesterday evening, announced that both Indian and Pakistani high commissions will reduce their staff strength from 55 to 30, effective from 1 May. Military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and must leave within a week. India will similarly withdraw its advisors from Islamabad.

Pakistani nationals will no longer be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. All existing visas under this scheme are cancelled, and current holders must leave India within 48 hours. The only land border crossing between India and Pakistan is now shut. Pakistani citizens who crossed into India via Attari with valid permissions must return before 1 May.

India has also put the 1960 agreement in abeyance until Pakistan ceases support for terrorism. 

Earlier today, a huge protest erupted outside the Pakistan High Commission in the national capital amid heightened tensions between Delhi and Islamabad over the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. 

Visuals from outside the Pakistan High Commission, located in Chanakyapuri, Delhi's diplomatic enclave, show a large crowd gathered outside the building, with police forces trying to pacify it.

Srinagar: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led union government’s explanation for the lack of security at the site of Tuesday’s deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam has triggered widespread skepticism, with local officials and tourism stakeholders offering accounts that sharply contradict the government’s claims.

At an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, the Central government reportedly informed lawmakers that Baisaran meadow — where 26 civilians were killed — was not officially open to tourists until June. The absence of police and paramilitary presence, they argued, was due to this status.

However, investigations on the ground reveal a very different reality.

Baisaran meadow — popularly known as "Mini Switzerland" — remains accessible to tourists for most of the year. According to local tour operators, pony ride associations, and tourism officials, the area typically stays open except during peak winter months when snowfall blocks access.

"Tourists have been visiting Baisaran daily this season. No police clearance or special permission has ever been required," said Sheikh Mohammad Sultan, senior tour operator and President of the Indian Association of Travel & Tourism Experts (Kashmir chapter). "Nearly 70 percent of visitors to Pahalgam make it a point to visit Baisaran."

Further evidence lies in the operational signboard installed by the Pahalgam Development Authority at the meadow's entrance, listing an entry fee of ₹35 per person. Officials confirmed that this fee collection is outsourced annually through auction — a clear indication that the site was officially functioning and welcoming tourists at the time of the attack.

"Infrastructure projects have been developed for Baisaran tourism, and more are in the pipeline. Visiting Baisaran has never required security clearance or police authorization," a tourism official said on condition of anonymity.

The lack of security now stands under intense scrutiny.

The dirt track connecting Pahalgam town to Baisaran was reportedly unguarded, with only four unarmed personnel from an auxiliary wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police stationed there. The nearest Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp was nearly five kilometers away — a critical gap that likely delayed the emergency response.

According to official sources, the first CRPF responder reached the attack site almost an hour later, with reinforcements arriving more than ninety minutes after the assault had ended.

Locals like Waheed Ahmad, president of the Pony Operators’ Association in Pahalgam, expressed concern over the lack of vigilance despite Baisaran’s heavy tourist footfall.

"We have been taking tourists to Baisaran for decades without ever needing police permission. But given today’s environment, one would expect much better security," Ahmad said.

Eyewitness videos and photographs from just days before the attack show tourists visiting Baisaran in significant numbers, enjoying pony rides and the vibrant spring bloom — further undermining the Centre’s assertion that the area was "closed" to visitors.

The glaring contradictions have fuelled growing suspicions that authorities failed to adequately assess the threat level, despite intelligence warnings about potential attacks targeting Kashmir’s fragile tourist season.