Militants who killed 26 people in India’s Kashmir region on Tuesday segregated men from women and children, demanding the men’s names before shooting them at close range, according to security officials and survivors.
Around 1,000 tourists and 300 local service workers were in Baisaran Valley—nicknamed “mini Switzerland” for its picturesque hilltop meadows and dense pine forests—when the three armed assailants launched the attack, marking the deadliest incident in India in nearly two decades.
The attackers, heavily armed, roamed the area and fired 60 rounds of ammunition, but spared women and children, a security official, who spoke anonymously due to restrictions, revealed based on conversations with survivors.
Asavari Jagdale, a tourist from Maharashtra, lost her father and uncle in the assault. She recounted to local media that her family had taken cover inside a nearby tent along with other tourists when the shooting started. When the militants approached their tent, they called out to her father, Santosh Jagdale, demanding he recite an Islamic verse.
“When he failed to do so, they pumped three bullets into him—one in the head, one behind the ear, and one in the back,” she said. “My uncle was next to me. The terrorists fired four to five bullets into him.”
Saved by Chanting Islamic Verses
Debasish Bhattacharyya, a Hindu from Assam University who grew up in a Muslim neighborhood, survived by reciting Islamic verses with the others when the attackers demanded it.
“I knew the words, and at that moment, it was probably the only way to save our lives. Those who failed were killed,” Bhattacharyya said. He and other survivors fled after the gunmen left, trekking through the forest for two hours to safety.
The attackers, dressed in traditional long shirts and loose trousers, were also said to be wearing a bodycam, according to a security source. The militants opened fire at three locations in the Baisaran Valley, which is a popular tourist destination.
Some tourists were shot in eateries located in the meadow, while others were taken into the forest and killed there, the source added.
Baisaran is a trekking destination about 4 km (2.5 miles) from Pahalgam, in the Himalayan federal territory. It offers activities like ziplining and zorbing and serves as a campsite for trekkers heading to Tulian Lake, an alpine lake about 11 km away.
Prashant Satpathy, his wife, and nine-year-old son were in Baisaran on the final day of their four-day trip when tragedy struck. They had just finished a zipline ride when a bullet struck Satpathy in the head. His wife, Priyadarshini, told local media, “He collapsed before my eyes.”
Adil Hussain Shah, a pony ride operator from Pahalgam, was also among the 26 killed in the attack. Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke about Shah’s bravery, stating, “We’ve heard that he didn’t die just like that. He was displaying bravery… perhaps even tried to stop the attack or grab the gun, and that is why he was targeted.” Abdullah made these comments after visiting Shah’s family on Wednesday.
