Kashmir Closes 48 Tourist Sites After Terror Threat Alert

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has shuttered 48 of 87 tourist destinations throughout Kashmir following intelligence warnings of imminent terror threats in the wake of last week's deadly attack in Pahalgam. Security agencies have intercepted communications confirming that sleeper cells across the valley have been activated and instructed to begin operations.

Intelligence reports obtained by India Today state, "Reliable inputs indicate militant organizations are actively planning attacks targeting security forces and non-local individuals in the coming days." The intelligence also suggests Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is orchestrating targeted strikes against non-locals, Criminal Investigation Department personnel, and Kashmiri Pandits, particularly in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts.

Sources reveal ongoing intelligence reports indicate terrorists operating across North, Central, and South Kashmir are planning targeted killings and a larger, more significant attack in retaliation for the destruction of terrorists' residences following the Pahalgam incident. Security agencies have also warned of possible attacks on railway infrastructure and personnel, advising railway security staff to remain within designated camps and barracks.

In response to these threats, authorities have deployed specialized anti-fidayeen squads from the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police to vulnerable tourist locations including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and areas around Dal Lake, significantly enhancing overall security measures.

The April 22 attack saw Pakistan-based terrorists open fire on vacationers in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley, killing 26 people, predominantly tourists. This tragedy triggered a massive tourist exodus from Kashmir, with the latest security warnings coming just as visitors had begun returning to the region.

Security forces have launched extensive counter-terrorism operations across the state, conducting coordinated raids and detaining hundreds of suspects and terror sympathizers in the search for those responsible for the Pahalgam attack, which reportedly involved a local terrorist collaborator. Authorities have also demolished several homes belonging to active terrorists as part of the intensified crackdown.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), leading the Pahalgam attack investigation, has begun on-site work including crime scene reconstruction. Investigators plan to question local workers present during the attack, including zipline facility staff, as well as survivors like Gujarati tourist Rishi Bhatt, whose video footage captured images of the terrorists.