India claims killing of militants behind Kashmir tourist attack
India announced on Monday that its security forces had killed three militants allegedly responsible for the deadly April attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead and heightened tensions with neighboring Pakistan.
Home Minister Amit Shah informed parliament that the men were killed during an operation near Srinagar, the capital of the disputed region. Shah claimed the attackers were Pakistani nationals, asserting that forensic and ballistic evidence confirmed their identities. “The operation was precise, and justice has been served for those who lost their lives,” Shah told lawmakers.
Islamabad has strongly rejected India’s accusations in the past, and Pakistan has yet to comment on this latest claim. Independent verification of India’s account has not been made, and human rights groups have previously raised concerns over the transparency of counterterrorism operations in Kashmir.
The April 22 incident saw gunmen open fire on a group of Hindu tourists visiting a mountain meadow near the scenic town of Pahalgam. The attack, one of the deadliest in the restive region in recent years, sparked public outrage and renewed debate about India’s security preparedness in Kashmir, where militancy has persisted for decades.
Following the attack, New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing militant groups operating in the region—an allegation Islamabad has consistently denied. In retaliation, India launched a series of air and artillery strikes in May targeting locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering a brief but tense military standoff between the nuclear-armed rivals.
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