More than two dozen people are dead, and many others were injured during a shooting that took place in India on Tuesday.
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According to Reuters, the incident happened in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory. Police stated the attack occurred in the Baisaran Valley in the Pahalgam area of the Himalayan territory. Among the dead are 25 Indians and one Nepalese national.
The shooting has been dubbed the worst such attack in the country since the 2008 Mumbai shootings.
Following the shooting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia short. He returned to India on Wednesday morning. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also cut her visit to the US and Peru early. Her ministry stated that she wanted “to be with our people in this difficult and tragic time.”
A defense ministry source told Reuters that Prime Minister Modi met with the national security adviser, the foreign minister, and other senior officials at the airport. A special security cabinet meeting was also held.
The “Kashmir Resistance” Allegedly Claims Responsibility for the Shooting in India
Reuters further reports that a little-known militant group, the “Kashmir Resistance,” has allegedly claimed responsibility for the shooting in India.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ground declared that the “individuals targeted were not ordinary tourists; instead, they were linked to and affiliated with Indian security agencies.”
“It was not a typical tourist group but rather an undercover agency tasked with research,” the statement reads.
The group also stated that the attack should “serve as a wake-up call not only for Delhi but also for those who support Delhi’s questionable strategies.”
“Resistance fighters plan to intensify their strategic attacks to ensure that those involved in undermining [the] resistance struggle face appropriate consequences,” the statement added.
Hundreds of security forces went into Pahalgam not long after the shooting. They conducted a massive combing operation in the forest areas. Around 100 people suspected of being militant sympathizers were taken to police stations for questioning.