India troops beef up security in Kashmir following attack on tourists

SRINAGAR – Security has been beefed up crossed Indian-controlled Kashmir a time aft an onslaught killed astatine slightest 26 people, astir of them tourists, arsenic Indian forces launched a manhunt for the perpetrators of 1 of the deadliest attacks successful the restive Himalayan region.

As investigators began probing the attack, galore shops and businesses successful Kashmir closed to protestation the killings pursuing a telephone from the region’s spiritual and governmental parties.

Tens of thousands of equipped constabulary and soldiers fanned retired crossed the portion and erected further checkpoints. They searched cars and successful immoderate areas summoned erstwhile militants to constabulary stations for questioning, reports said.

Police called it a “terror attack” and blamed militants warring against Indian rule. There was nary contiguous assertion of responsibility.

Global condemnation for Tuesday’s uncommon onslaught connected the tourists came swiftly, portion Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chopped abbreviated his two-day sojourn to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi aboriginal Wednesday.

Officials said 24 of the radical killed were Indian tourists, 1 was from Nepal and 1 was a section tourer guide. At slightest 17 others were injured.

Kashmir has seen tourism roar depite spate of attacks

Kashmir has seen a spate of deadly attacks connected Hindus, including migrant workers from Indian states, since New Delhi ended the region’s semi-autonomy successful 2019 and drastically curbed dissent, civilian liberties and media freedoms.

New Delhi has vigorously pushed tourism and claimed it arsenic a motion of normalcy returning, and the portion has drawn millions of visitors who bask its Himalyan foothills and exquisitely decorate houseboats amid a unusual bid kept by ubiquitous information checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers. Until Tuesday, tourists were not targeted.

Following the attack, panicked tourists started to permission Kashmir.

Monojit Debnath, a tourer from Indian metropolis of Kolkata, said Kashmir was undoubtedly beauteous but his household did not consciousness unafraid anymore.

“We are tourists, and we should deliberation astir what information we person present for us,” Debnath told the Press Trust of India quality bureau arsenic helium was leaving Srinagar, the region’s main city, with his family.

Powerful location curate visits

On Wednesday, India’s almighty location curate Amit Shah attended a ceremonial astatine a constabulary power country successful Srinagar, wherever the slain tourists were paid floral tributes. He besides met families of respective victims.

Shah vowed to “come down heavy connected the perpetrators with the harshest consequences.”

Later, Shah visited the tract of the sidesplitting astatine Baisaran meadow, immoderate 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the edifice municipality of Pahalgam.

The meadow successful Pahalgam is simply a fashionable destination, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dotted with conifer forests. It is visited by hundreds of tourists each day.

Kashmir has been divided for decades

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir but some assertion the territory successful its entirety.

Militants successful the Indian-controlled information of Kashmir person been warring New Delhi’s regularisation since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris enactment the rebels’ extremity of uniting the territory, either nether Pakistani regularisation oregon arsenic an autarkic country.

India describes militancy successful Kashmir arsenic Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and galore Kashmiris see it a morganatic state struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and authorities forces person been killed successful the conflict.

India has utilized heavy-handed tactics to support its power implicit the portion that see giving the equipped forces wide powers to arrest, torture and summarily execute suspects, quality rights groups say.

In March 2000, astatine slightest 35 civilians were changeable and killed successful a confederate colony successful Kashmir portion then-U.S. President Bill Clinton was visiting India.

In 2019, months earlier New Delhi revoked the region's autonomy, a militant onslaught killed astatine slightest 40 paramilitary soldiers that brought India and Pakistan adjacent to a war.

Violence has ebbed successful caller times successful the Kashmir Valley, the bosom of anti-India rebellion. Fighting betwixt authorities forces and rebels has mostly shifted to distant areas of Jammu region, including Rajouri, Poonch and Kathua, wherever Indian troops person faced deadly attacks.

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