Days before Pahalgam assault, intelligence hinted at terror plans to hit tourist sites in Jammu and Kashmir | India News

NEW DELHI: Days before the Pahalgam bloodbath, terror chatter picked up from throughout the border indicated terrorists’ plans to hit tourist locations in J&Okay, notably motels on outskirts of Srinagar, extra particularly areas like Dachigam, and so on, senior officers following the investigations advised TOI on Saturday.
J&Okay Police sources, nevertheless, insisted that whereas intelligence was accessible on seemingly terror plans to goal vacationers and motels, it was generic in nature, additionally naming non-local migrant labourers, Hindu pilgrims and Kashmiri pandits as potential targets and a number of areas like Kulgam, Pulwama, and so on, as “vulnerable spots”. There was no point out of Baisaran, which had no historical past of terror exercise or assaults, in these inputs. The intelligence was adopted up, with J&Okay Police brass tenting in Srinagar to make sure that safety at a number of outstanding tourist locations and motels was tightened.
Sources stated the 2 native terrorists – Adil Thoker and Asif Sheikh – in the Pahalgam assault workforce had blended in with the vacationers before herding them into the meals stalls space, making it simpler for the male victims to be segregated. They added that the entry and exit to Baisaran, which is open around the 12 months barring intervals of heavy snowfall and Amarnath Yatra – is ticketed and a fence put in since a young to handle it for 3 years was awarded to a Bijbehara businessman final 12 months.

The outskirts of Srinagar in the foothills of Zabarwan vary have been seen as susceptible to assaults as a gaggle of Pakistani terrorists linked to two assaults in Oct 2024 – at Gagangir, in which six non-local labourers and a health care provider have been killed, and at Buta Pathri, which left two Army personnel and two Army porters lifeless – was supposedly lively there. Investigations thus far counsel that Hashim Musa, the Pakistani assailant in Pahalgam additionally concerned in Gagangir and Buta Pathri assaults, was in Tral together with one other Pakistani and two native terrorists, days before they struck in Baisaran.
An officer stated businesses have regarded into the potential of terrorists having initially deliberate to strike throughout PM Modi’s April 19 go to to J&Okay to flag off a prepare service between Katra and Srinagar. The motive of the terrorists, backed by Pakistan’s ISI, might have been to divert consideration from the most important rail infrastructure improve, a supply stated including that when the PM’s go to was known as due to unhealthy climate, the terrorists, who have been presumably hiding in Tral by then, waited till April 22 to execute the assault.
A second police officer stated the terrorists selected to hit vacationers to demolish the ‘normalcy’ narrative, with the file tourist arrivals in the Valley being cited as a barometer of normalcy. Overground assist, one other functionary stated, was a actuality with three of each 10 OGWs being hardcore, ideologically dedicated cadre. Hitting the opposite seven, who could also be working for some fast cash, by having their homes demolished could also be counter-productive as in addition they double up as intelligence property, it was burdened. The homes of practically 9 OGWs in J&Okay have been demolished in the wake of Pahalgam assault; the Omar Abdullah govt is alleged to have requested the Centre to train warning.
Officials on Saturday flagged use and restoration of refined weapons – suspected to be left behind by NATO troops in Afghanistan – in Kashmir.