Intelligence inputs indicate that terrorists are plotting targeted killings and a major attack in retaliation for the demolition of militant hideouts after last week’s Pahalgam attacks.
48 Tourist Spots in Kashmir Shut Amid Fresh Terror Threats After Pahalgam Attack
The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the closure of 48 out of 87 tourist destinations across the Valley following intelligence inputs warning of potential terror attacks in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam strike.
According to intelligence sources, communication intercepts suggest that sleeper cells have been activated across the region post the Pahalgam attack and have been directed to carry out fresh strikes. “In view of the recent terror attack on tourists on 22.04.2025, credible intelligence inputs indicate that militant groups are planning attacks on security personnel and non-local individuals in the coming days,” a report accessed by India Today stated.
The inputs also reveal that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is allegedly plotting targeted killings aimed at non-local residents, CID officials, and Kashmiri Pandits, with Srinagar and Ganderbal districts marked as high-risk zones.
Security officials have raised concerns about ongoing threats across North, Central, and South Kashmir, with militants reportedly planning a large-scale retaliation for the recent demolition of terror operatives’ homes carried out after the Pahalgam massacre. There are also warnings about possible attacks on railway infrastructure, especially due to the deployment of non-local railway staff. Railway security forces have been advised to remain within their barracks and avoid unnecessary movement.
In response, anti-fidayeen squads from the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group have been deployed at prominent tourist locations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Dal Lake, which remain accessible to tourists. However, numerous other tourist hotspots including Doodhpathri, Kokernag, Bangus Valley, Margan Top, Sinthan Top, Tosamaidan, Acchabal, Kousarnag, Ringawali Tangmarg, and Habba Khatoon Point have been declared off-limits for visitors.
The move comes after a group of terrorists opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, killing 26 people—mostly tourists—marking one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley in recent years. The incident triggered a mass departure of tourists, and the latest threat alert emerged just as tourism was beginning to recover.
Security forces have since intensified counter-terror operations, launching statewide raids and detaining hundreds of suspects and terror affiliates. Several homes linked to active militants have also been demolished as part of the crackdown.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is handling the Pahalgam case, has recreated the crime scene and is set to question local workers and survivors, including zipline operators and tourists like Rishi Bhatt, who reportedly recorded footage of the assailants during the attack.
