Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (Wednesday) returned back to New Delhi cutting short his two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia following tragic terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday.
The gruesome terrorist attack took place on April 22 afternoon at a popular tourist spot in which at least twenty-six people, mostly civilians, were reportedly gunned down by terrorists. In the brutal attack 20 others were injured.
Modi arrived Palam airport on Wednesday morning. He was being escorted amid high security, reports news agencies.
Modi, held bilateral talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah. However, in view of the terrorist attack in Kashmir, PM Modi skipped the official dinner hosted by Saudi Aradia.
Modi’s visit to a date factory in Jeddah on Wednesday to meet Indian workers, has also been cancelled.
Modi condemned the terror attack and said that those behind the heinous act will be brought to justice.
“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,” said Modi in a post on X.
Modi also conveyed his condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the attack.
“I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected,” he said.
TRF claims responsibility
The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group claimed responsibility. Indian sources say TRF, commonly known as Kashmir Resistance, is a front for Pakistan-based militant organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Search operation launched
The Indian Army, CRPF and local police have launched a massive anti-terrorist operation to hunt down the assailants. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up 24x 7 emergency control rooms in Anantnag and Srinagar.
PDF chief calls for ‘Kashmir bandh’
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has called for a complete “Kashmir bandh”.
PDP MLA Waheed Para took to X and asked people to unite against the massacre of innocent persons.
“Mehbooba Mufti calls for a complete Kashmir bandh in response to the inhumane terror attack in Pahalgam. It’s time to unite against the massacre of innocents,” Para wrote on the micro-blogging site.
He also shared a post by Mufti supporting the strike call given by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Jammu Bar Association against the incident in the region.