23042025-TT-01.qxd 4/22/2025 VP SAYS PARL SUPREME, SIBAL COUNTERS NATION /thetribunechd 11:19 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 111 | 16 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH wednesday | 23 april 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com 26 tourists massacred in Pahalgam Targeted by ultras at Baisaran meadow | Haryana Navy officer, 2 foreigners among victims | Deadliest strike since Pulwama Adil Akhzer In an image that has gone viral on the social media, a newly wed woman is seen awaiting help by her husband’s side after the shooting. PHOTO: X VIOLENCE UNACCEPTABLE: OPPN PARTIES INSIDE Srinagar, April 22 In the deadliest terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike, 26 tourists, including two foreigners, and a local were killed and several injured after being fired upon by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. A Navy officer from Haryana, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (26), who got married on April 16 and was on leave, was among the victims. The attack took place at Baisaran, a famed meadow about 6 km from the resort town of Pahalgam that is accessible only by foot or ponies, said officials, calling the killings “a massacre”. Police officials said the victims were shot from close range. An official said the tourists belonged to different states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. He said the foreigners were from Nepal and the UAE. CM Omar Abdullah described the attack as “much larger than anything seen directed at civilians in recent years”. Eyewitnesses said terrorists came into the grassland and started firing at tourists walking around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking. A person associated with the tourism industry, who reached the spot after the killings, told The Tribune over the phone continued on page 12 VANCE FOR DEEPER TIES, OFFERS JETS BACK PAGE PAST ATTACKS ■ Security personnel move towards the site after terrorists attacked a group of tourists at Pahalgam. PTI WON’T SPARE CULPRITS PERPETRATORS ‘ANIMALS’ ❝ They (terrorists) will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger. Narendra Modi, PM ❝ I’m shocked beyond belief. Attack on visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators are animals, inhuman & worthy of contempt. Omar Abdullah, J&K CM 2000 32 killed, 60 hurt after terrorists target Amarnath base camp in Pahalgam ■ 2001 13 killed, 15 injured in an attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Sheshnag, Anantnag ■ 2002 11 persons killed in attack at Amarnath’s Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam ■ 2017 8 pilgrims, mostly from Gujarat, on way home from Amarnath shrine killed in attack ■ 2022 4 pilgrims killed, 20 injured in a sticky bomb incident in Katra area of Reasi ■ 2024 9 killed, 33 hurt after bus attacked in Reasi district; in second incident, tourist couple hurt in firing at Yannar, Pahalgam Srinagar J&K Ladakh BAISARAN Shah in Srinagar, vows harshest action Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 22 Hours after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah rushed to Srinagar and straightaway headed to the Raj Bhavan where he held a high-level meeting to review the security situation. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were among those present at the meeting. RESISTANCE FRONT CLAIMS ROLE The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Prior to his departure to Kashmir, the Home Minister held a meeting with top security and intelligence officials in the national capital. At the meeting held at Shah’s residence in Delhi, Intelligence c m y b Bureau chief Tapan Deka, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh were among those present. J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat and Army officials joined the meeting through video-conferencing, sources said. The attack prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had in the morning left on a visit to Saudi Arabia, to speak to Shah, asking him to visit the attack site and take continued on page 12 Pahalgam Visitors targeted at famed Baisaran meadow, 6 km from resort town of Pahalgam. Ringed by dense pine forests & mountains, the spot is favourite with visitors from world over 24X7 TOURIST HELPLINE ANANTNAG ■ 01932222337 ■ 7780885759 ■ 9697982527 ■ 6006365245 SRINAGAR ■ 01942457543 ■ 01942483651 ■ 7006058623 PM Modi in Saudi Arabia to bolster ties with key pacts NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday got a rousing welcome upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia as both nations aim to elevate their ties to an all-new level. The visit is strategically significant considering the PM’s several crucial agreements lined up with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Both leaders are expected to sign several key pacts, which will mark an important moment in the ties between the two nations. Upon his arrival, the PM was given a 21-gun salute as members of the Indian community sang “Saare Jahan Se Achha”. BACK PAGE UP’s Shakti tops civil services exam, Hry’s Harshita 2nd NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh's Shakti Dubey topped the 2024 civil services examination while Haryana's Harshita Goyal stood second, as per the results announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday. The third rank was secured by Maharashtra's Dongre Archit Parag. Among the top five candidates, three are women. Born in Hisar and now settled in Vadodara, Harshita (24) is a commerce graduate from the MS University of Baroda. She also opted for political science and international relations and cleared the examination in her third attempt. INSIDE