In one of the most horrifying terror strikes in Pahalgam, terrorists killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s on April 22. Before executing them, the attackers compelled victims to test their faith through ruthless examinations, including checks of their identity, recitals of prayers, and even searching their bodies for circumcision marks.
Nearly all those who were killed were Hindu men. Now, as gruesome videos and reports came, India is again asked to account for the extent, character, and motive behind this cold-blooded carnage.
Identity Checks and Circumcision Inspections
The brutality in Pahalgam didn’t occur in a moment. Terrorists targeted tourists deliberately and initiated a set of procedures to find out about their religion. To begin with, they asked them for Aadhaar or driver licenses. Secondly, they instructed individuals to utter the Kalma—a Muslim invocation line. If that didn’t work, they took it even further. Victims were instructed to strip down below the waist, relying on circumcision as a final verification.
Consequently, nearly all the fatalities proved to be Hindu men. Eyewitness accounts narrated how the perpetrators killed every individual at close range upon ascertaining their religion. The subsequent online postings showed blood-stained corpses with pants either unzipped or down. Local authorities, along with the Army and police officers, came across these haunting signs in the next round of sweeps for recoveries.
The first to respond, stretched by chaos and bereavement, had seen nothing or mentioned nothing of such brutality. There were already family members collecting wrapped bodies in white cloth, blissfully unaware of the horror visited on their beloved moments before demise.
India’s Agencies Crack Down, Target Lashkar’s Local Network
Authorities haven’t wasted any time. They opened a huge investigation in South Kashmir. Intelligence suggests a Lashkar-supported proxy organization called The Resistance Front. Reports indicate three Pakistani nationals and two local associates hatched the massacre. Their aim: communal fear and scuttling of peace.
Security personnel, following tips, razed at least five houses of terror assistants in Anantnag, Pulwama, and Tral. During the night, they arrested several overground workers and sympathisers. Units of the J&K Police, Intelligence Bureau, and RAW continue to question suspects in a number of districts.
Political leaders reacted vigorously as well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to it as a “deliberate act of hatred.” International leaders, such as US and UK leaders, denounced the massacre and called for global action against cross-border terrorism.
