{"id":46326,"date":"2025-04-23T03:38:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T22:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=46326"},"modified":"2025-05-17T21:09:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T15:39:37","slug":"terror-attack-in-pahalgam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/terror-attack-in-pahalgam\/","title":{"rendered":"Terror Attack in Pahalgam: 28 Tourists Killed in Baisaran Valley Assault"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What\u2019s in Today\u2019s Article?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Pahalgam Terror Attack Latest News<\/li>\n<li>About Pahalgam<\/li>\n<li>Baisaran: A Scenic Gem Near Pahalgam<\/li>\n<li>The Resistance Front (TRF)<\/li>\n<li>Pahalgam Terror Attack \u2013 Analysis<\/li>\n<li>Pahalgam Terror Attack FAQs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pahalgam Terror Attack Latest News<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Twenty-eight people, mostly tourists, were killed in a terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley, a scenic spot in Pahalgam, Anantnag district of J&amp;K.<\/li>\n<li>This is the deadliest since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The remote, high-altitude area\u2014accessible only by foot or horseback\u2014posed challenges for rescue efforts.<\/li>\n<li>The Resistance Front, an ISI-backed proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the assault.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>About Pahalgam<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Pahalgam is a popular hill station located in the Anantnag district in the southern part of the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It lies approximately 90 km from Srinagar International Airport.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tourist Attractions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Known as the \u2018Valley of Shepherds\u2019, Pahalgam offers lush mountain trails, dense forests, and the scenic Lidder River.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Key attractions include:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Amarnath Cave Temple<\/strong>: A revered Hindu shrine.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aru Wildlife Sanctuary<\/strong>: Home to species like brown bears and musk deer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Betaab Valley<\/strong>: Named after the Sunny Deol-starrer film Betaab.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tulian Lake<\/strong>: A serene alpine lake popular with trekkers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Baisaran Valley<\/strong>: A picturesque meadow drawing many tourists, often called \u201cmini-Switzerland.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Baisaran: A Scenic Gem Near Pahalgam<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Located just 5 km from Pahalgam, Baisaran is one of the region\u2019s most popular tourist and trekking destinations.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Accessible only by foot or ponies, the lack of motorable roads made rescue operations difficult during the recent terrorist attack.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Mini Switzerland of Kashmir<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Baisaran is often referred to as \u2018Mini Switzerland\u2019 due to its long, dark meadows and striking resemblance to European landscapes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The Pahalgam Development Authority highlights its eye-catching beauty, dense pine forests, and snow-capped mountain backdrop.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Ideal for Trekkers and Campers<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The meadow serves as a key campsite for trekkers heading to Tulian Lake, which offers breathtaking views of Pahalgam and the Lidder Valley.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>A Year-Round Tourist Destination<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Baisaran\u2019s picturesque scenery, including views of the Lidder River, attracts visitors in both summer and winter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Resistance Front (TRF)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Resistance Front (TRF) is a militant group that emerged as an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) shortly after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.<\/li>\n<li>It quickly evolved into an active terror outfit, absorbing militants from various factions, particularly LeT.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Designation as a Terrorist Organisation<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>In January 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared TRF a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The ministry cited its involvement in psychological operations on social media to radicalize and incite the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the Indian state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Activities and Targets<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Since its formation, TRF has been responsible for several terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley, specifically targeting tourists, minority Kashmiri Pandits, and migrant labourers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pahalgam Terror Attack \u2013 Analysis<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed over two dozen civilians, is the deadliest targeting civilians since the 26\/11 Mumbai attacks.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It highlights a <strong>major internal security challenge<\/strong> with significant external implications for India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Tourism as a Symbol of Normalcy Disrupted<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, a surge in tourism to Jammu &amp; Kashmir was viewed as a sign of peace and prosperity.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The attack shatters this image and revives the Valley\u2019s painful memories of violence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Terror Timing and Global Attention<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The attack occurred while US Vice-President JD Vance was visiting India and PM Modi was on a diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia, a timing that echoes previous incidents aimed at international publicity.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>March 2000:<\/strong> 36 Sikhs were massacred in Anantnag just before President Clinton\u2019s visit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>May 2002<\/strong>: The Kaluchak attack coincided with US official Christina Rocca\u2019s visit, killing 23 people including women and children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Kashmir and Pakistan\u2019s Provocative Rhetoric<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The attack followed a provocative statement by Pakistan Army chief Gen. Asim Munir, who called Kashmir Pakistan\u2019s &#8220;jugular vein.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pahalgam Terror Attack FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> What happened in Pahalgam&#8217;s Baisaran Valley?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> A terrorist attack killed 28 tourists in Baisaran Valley, Anantnag, marking the deadliest assault since Article 370&#8217;s abrogation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> Who is responsible for the Pahalgam attack?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and backed by ISI, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong> Why is Baisaran significant for tourists?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Baisaran, known as \u201cMini Switzerland,\u201d is a scenic, remote meadow popular for trekking and camping near Pahalgam.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong> What is TRF and its role in Kashmir?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> TRF is a militant group targeting civilians in Kashmir, designated a terrorist outfit under UAPA in January 2023.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> Why is the Pahalgam attack geopolitically significant?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> It disrupts Kashmir\u2019s tourism-driven normalcy and occurred during key international diplomatic visits, gaining global attention.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/2000-02-jk-terrors-old-ghost-pahalgam-attack-during-high-profile-us-visit-9959867\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/news\/india\/pahalgam-terror-attack-pdp-chief-mehbooba-mufti-calls-for-kashmir-bandh-tomorrow-11745342863587.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">LM<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/news.abplive.com\/news\/india\/what-is-the-resistance-front-terror-group-behind-attack-on-tourists-in-j-k-s-pahalgam-1767049\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ABP<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>28 killed in a terror attack at Baisaran, Pahalgam. TRF claims responsibility. Learn about the region, group, and implications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":46327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-46326","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}