The once-vibrant Baisaran valley in Pahalgam, typically teeming with vacationers, has transformed overnight into a heavily guarded security zone in the aftermath of a devastating terror attack that killed 26 people. The picturesque meadow, now littered with abandoned footwear and personal belongings, stands as a grim testament to what officials are calling the worst civilian terror incident in Kashmir's recent history.

An unsettling quietness has descended upon the resort town as tourists rapidly depart the area. Military and paramilitary forces have established a significant presence throughout Pahalgam, conducting extensive search operations to locate the five to six perpetrators responsible for the massacre. The Resistance Front, known to be affiliated with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to witnesses, the assailants—dressed in military uniforms and traditional kurta pyjamas—emerged from the surrounding pine forest and opened fire indiscriminately. Some survivors reported that the attackers verified religious identities through identification documents and executed non-Muslims at point-blank range, while sparing women and children.

The attack has prompted a shutdown across Srinagar and other Kashmir regions on Wednesday—marking the first such closure in nearly six years since Article 370's abrogation. Educational institutions remained closed as numerous Kashmir residents took to the streets to express outrage over the violence that occurred during peak tourism season.

Notably, South Kashmir—an area known for protests following the 2016 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen operative Burhan Wani—now witnessed locals openly condemning the attack on tourists.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who arrived in Kashmir Tuesday night, visited the attack site at Baisaran and met with injured victims at the Government Medical College Hospital, accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.