Pahalgam Terror Attack

The Pahalgam attack occurred on April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran Valley, where terrorists killed 26 people, including two foreigners and two locals, injuring several others. The attack specifically targeted non-Muslim male tourists and is considered one of the deadliest attacks in recent years. The terrorists, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, entered the valley, 7 km from Pahalgam town, and began shooting. Survivors reported that the attackers asked victims’ names and religions before shooting and even forced some to recite Islamic verses to separate them by religion. In order to identify a victim’s religious identity, the attackers went to the extent of forcing the victim to pull down their trousers to check the circumcision. A local pony operator, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, tried to protect the tourists but was shot dead. One attacker reportedly spared a woman, telling her she would “narrate the horrors” to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The victims of the Pahalgam attack came from different parts of India and included two foreign tourists from Nepal and the UAE. Among those killed were three Indian government officials: Lieutenant Vinay Narwal from the Indian Navy, Corporal Tage Hailyang from the Indian Air Force, and Manish Ranjan from the Intelligence Bureau. A terrorist group called The Resistance Front, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility, citing opposition to demographic changes in Kashmir. In response, the Indian government launched a full investigation, and security forces are actively hunting down the attackers. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh vowed strong action, and security in the region was heightened. The attack was widely condemned both in India and internationally.

After the assault, locals assisted in rescuing victims, with ponies and stretchers used to carry 11 injured tourists. Gurudwaras opened their doors to tourists seeking refuge, while emergency services quickly arrived. Two critically injured individuals were taken to a hospital in Anantnag and later airlifted to a military hospital in Srinagar. A helpline was also set up for tourists. Meanwhile, the army, police, and paramilitary forces launched a search for the attackers, who had fled to the mountains, and a lockdown was imposed in Pahalgam.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 23, India took a series of diplomatic and strategic countermeasures against Pakistan. These actions included the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches from the High Commission in New Delhi, and the closure of key border routes. Furthermore, India downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan. In addition to these measures, India closed the integrated check post at Attari, terminated the SAARC visa exemptions, and revoked the visas previously issued to Pakistani nationals. Pakistani citizens residing in India under the Special Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) were instructed to leave the country within 48 hours. A total of 28 Pakistani nationals left for Pakistan from the Attari border, and 105 Indian nationals returned from Pakistan. Pakistan's National Security Committee, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the attack but denied involvement, warning that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty would be treated as an “act of war.” In retaliation, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights and suspended all trade with India.

On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of the three terrorists responsible for the attack and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for any information leading to their capture. According to sources, eyewitness accounts and intelligence reports suggest that at least two of the attackers are suspected to be local militants. “The Urdu that they (the foreign terrorists) spoke is from certain parts of Pakistan…At least two local militants are suspected to be accompanying them,” an officer from the security establishment told The Indian Express. In connection with the attack, the police detained over 2,000 people, mostly former militants and overground workers (OGWs), as part of their investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi Arabia visit and returned to Delhi early Wednesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Baisaran meadow, the site of the attack, and also held security review meetings with top officials from the police, the Intelligence Bureau and the Army in Srinagar. He also met victims of the attack.

On Thursday, April 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a rally in Bihar, vowed that those behind the attack would be “punished beyond imagination.” Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir demolished the homes of two individuals, Adil Thokar and Asif Shaikh, who are believed to have been involved in the attack. The demolitions took place late Thursday night in Anantnag and Awantipora. An Indian Border Security Force soldier belonging to the 182nd battalion of the BSF was captured by Pakistan Rangers after he accidentally entered Pakistani-held territory at the Ferozepur border.

BOOM had debunked misinformation related to Pahalgam Attack, BOOM fact-checked a photo claiming to show a terrorist involved in Pahalgam terror attack, which was carried by several Indian media outlets. BOOM verified the picture and found that it is a screengrab from a video available on Facebook since October 2021. Additionally, none of the media reports mentioned included any confirmation by a government official that the photo shows an attacker involved in the recent Pahalgam attack.

BOOM factchecked the two individual videos claiming to show the last recorded video of Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack. The first video was widely shared by news outlets and social media users identifying the couple in the viral video as Lieutenant Vinay and his wife Himanshi. BOOM found out that the original video features social media influencer Ashish Sehrawat and his wife Yashika Sharma. Similarly, BOOM also found that the couple in the second video are a different couple dancing in Jammu & Kashmir. The woman in the video, Priya Prasad, clarified in a later video posted with her husband on Instagram on April 25, 2025, that she and her partner are safe and alive.

BOOM fact checked a list circulating on social media, claiming to contain 26 names of people who lost lives in the Pahalgam attack. The list reportedly identified 15 of the victims as Muslims. The message claimed India TV reported the list. BOOM spoke to Jammu Defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal, who confirmed that the list is fake and does not accurately reflect the names of the victims. We also reached out to India TV, who confirmed that the outlet did not publish any such story as claimed in the viral message.

BOOM also fact-checked a video claiming to show 12 Pakistani soldiers being killed in retaliatory action after the attack. BOOM found that the viral video has been on the internet since April 2020 and is unrelated to the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Additionally, there are no credible news reports confirming that 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed by the Indian Army.