Pahalgam Attack Leaves 26 Dead, Govt Cracks Down on Airfare Surge

Twenty-six people were killed and 17 injured after suspected militants opened fire on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir.

The attack happened Tuesday in a meadow near Pahalgam, a popular spot in the Himalayan region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning.

At the airport, he met with the national security adviser, the foreign minister, and other top officials. A special security cabinet meeting was also called.

In the aftermath, over a dozen local groups called for a shutdown across the region on Wednesday to protest the attack.

As immediate relief, four special flights—two to Delhi and two to Mumbai—were arranged from Srinagar. These will run alongside regular services, operated by Air India and IndiGo.

The government also called an emergency meeting with all airline operators and issued a strict advisory against surge pricing. Airlines were instructed to keep fares at normal levels.