Militants opened fire on a group of tourists in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least two dozen and injuring many more, according to government officials and local media reports.
The attack, in a picturesque district of pine-covered hills and valleys that is popular with Indian travelers, was the worst assault against civilians in the restive region in years, said Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, as the region is officially known.
In a social media post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned what he called a “terror attack” and said that “those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice.” Mr. Modi planned to return early from a visit to Saudi Arabia. President Trump said in a post that “the United States stands strong with India against Terrorism.”
No official death toll has been released, and no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. India and Pakistan have each laid claim to the region since war broke out following the nations’ partition in 1947, and border skirmishes have long created instability.
The assault occurred just a few miles from the town of Pahalgam in the Baisaran Valley, which is accessible only by foot or on horseback. The 20-minute hike through brush opens on to lush green meadows that are often carpeted by flowers in the summer, making it a big tourist draw.
On Tuesday afternoon, as a group of tourists enjoyed the scenery, gunmen suddenly began firing indiscriminately from behind bushes, said Binu Bhai, 57, who was shot in both his arms and legs and was being treated at a hospital.
He said he saw around a dozen dead bodies on the ground as he was rescued by local residents. The bodies of injured or dead tourists were brought down from the hills on horseback and all-terrain vehicles, according to eyewitness accounts.
The tourists had come from several Indian states, though not all of their identities have been released.
Adil Chapri, a taxi driver, said tourists had begun swarming to the Himalayan region — which locals often call a “mini Switzerland” — just as temperatures soared in the rest of the country. There was a “mad rush” when he drove to Baisaran to drop some tourists off, Mr. Chapri said.
He said that a hotelier friend of his had told him after the attack that guides who offer pony rides to tourists asked him not to send any more tourists their way.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir. India has long accused Pakistan of fomenting separatist violence in the Muslim-majority region. Scores of civilians, including Hindu pilgrims, have been killed by militant groups over the decades.
The bloodshed has declined in recent years, after Mr. Modi revoked Kashmir’s special status as a semiautonomous region in 2019 and his government began directly administering the territory from New Delhi.
The Indian government has ruled Kashmir with a heavy hand, keeping order with a huge security presence and for years suspending democracy in the region.
Domestic tourism to Kashmir has flourished as the Modi government has promoted visits to the region, part of an effort to develop Kashmir and project an image of stability there. The number of tourists jumped nearly 30 percent from around 17 million in 2018 to 22 million in 2023, according to government figures.
Amit Shah, India’s minister for home affairs, reached Srinagar, the regional capital, late on Tuesday evening to meet with security officials and conduct a review.
Mehbooba Mufti, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, called for an investigation into potential security lapses. “Ensuring visitor safety is paramount, and steps must be taken to prevent future attacks,” Ms. Mufti posted on X. Other political leaders from around the country too weighed in with their condolences.
Vice President JD Vance, who is on a four-day tour of India with his wife, Usha Vance, and their three children, wrote on social media that “our thoughts and prayers are with” the Indian people as “they mourn this horrific attack.”
Anupreeta Das covers India and South Asia for The Times. She is based in New Delhi.
Suhasini Raj is a reporter based in New Delhi who has covered India for The Times since 2014.
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