Pahalgam Terrorists Were Foreign Agents, Not Local Militants? Here’s What Eyewitnesses Told Security Officials
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‘Their Urdu accent was different’: As gunfire erupted for the first time, Pahalgam locals alerted tourists that it could be an attack, thus saving scores of lives
The sketches of some of the terrorists involved in the killing of tourists.
While the terrorists who killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam spoke Urdu fluently, their accent was different than local Kashmiris, eyewitnesses told security forces, prompting them to believe that the attackers were foreign agents and not local militants.
The attack took place at Baisaran where a group of tourists had gone visiting on Tuesday morning. Sources in the security grid said that the spot was targeted as more than 1,500 tourists were present. A shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group- Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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The terrorists were tall, sturdy, and neatly dressed, families of the victims and eyewitnesses told security officials. An armed man was guarding the entrance as the rest entered the site, they said.
One of the families told the security officials that the attackers were dressed in yellow, printed, uniform-like attire, which was similar to that of security personnel.
Security agencies have now released the names of three terrorists suspected to be behind the attack. They have been identified as Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha. The sketches have been released based on detailed eyewitness accounts from survivors of the attack. According to sources, three terrorists led the assault, specifically segregating victims and checking the identities of male tourists. Apart from sketches, authorities also released an image of one of the attackers carrying an automatic weapon and running around the meadow.
LOCALS SAVED SCORES OF TOURISTS
A government official said that as gunfire erupted for the first time, most families who were relaxing at the location, including kids who were playing, didn’t realise it was an attack.
With a heavy heart, paid last respects to the deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will not bend to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared. pic.twitter.com/bFxb2nDT4H— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 23, 2025
It was only on the insistence of some of the locals that it could be a terror attack that tourists thought of taking cover and hence were saved.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Baisaran Valley on Tuesday. He and paid last respects to the victims of the terror attack earlier in the day and also met the families of the victims.
Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi, cutting short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, and held an emergency meeting with NSA Ajit Doval, EAM Dr S Jaishankar.