Terror hits tourist destination
Panic has hit Jammu and Kashmir after a terror attack in the picturesque town of Pahalgam killed at least 26 people, the majority tourists, on Tuesday. The attack, launched by four militants of The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Toiba, has sent tourists into a state of panic and put a shadow on the coming Amarnath Yatra. The attackers targeted male tourists on the basis of religion in Baisaran meadow, a major tourist destination just 5 km from Pahalgam. At least 10 others were injured in the attack, including a Navy officer.
Tourists flee, plans cancelled
Following the incident, scores of tourists have begun leaving the region, while many who had planned visits are reconsidering. “We had planned to visit Pahalgam after Vaishno Devi, but we’re now heading back to Ahmedabad,” said Aman Sharma, a visitor from Gujarat, citing disturbing videos on social media.
Impact on the Amarnath Yatra
There are growing concerns about the safety of the Amarnath Yatra from July 3 to August 9. Pahalgam, one of the major base camps for the yearly pilgrimage, may suffer greatly from the spillover. Although the yatra is normally conducted with strict security, there is a concern among stakeholders that the attack will scare pilgrims away.
Inderjit Khajuria, Chairman of the All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association, feels the attack was masterminded to discredit the pilgrimage and compromise tourism. “This attack may play spoilsport for the industry. One mishap negates the effort of six months,” he cautioned, calling on the Centre to leave the yatra’s security to the army.
Legal push for safety measures
Following the attack, a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court has been moved seeking directives to implement stringent safety measures during the Amarnath Yatra.
A grim precedent
This is not the first instance that the pilgrimage has been attacked. Earlier attacks in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2017 had claimed dozens of lives. Reminding people of past attacks, stakeholders now fear another steep decline in tourism a sector that had been gradually improving since the withdrawal of Article 370.
The attack, which is viewed as a direct threat to the government’s assertions of normalcy in the area, has put authorities and citizens on high alert as they prepare for the pilgrimage season.
