Srinagar: In a tragic escalation of violence, gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday, reportedly killing at least 26 people, according to a senior political figure in the region.

While the official death toll has yet to be confirmed by the authorities, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack, stating: "I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which tragically killed five and injured several." Mufti leads the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

No group has claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the region has long witnessed a separatist insurgency, with armed groups calling for either independence or a merger with Pakistan. Since 1989, this conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the Muslim-majority region.

Ravinder Raina, a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called the attack “a cowardly act by terrorists who targeted unarmed, innocent tourists who had come to visit Kashmir.” He confirmed that several of the injured were being treated at a local hospital.

The attack comes at a time when the region has seen a surge in tourism. Official records show that around 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir in 2024, a majority of them domestic travelers, as New Delhi continues to promote the region as a safe travel destination.

In 2023, India hosted a G20 tourism meeting in Srinagar under tight security, aiming to project a return to peace and normalcy following the Indian government's 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s limited autonomy. Since that move, New Delhi has maintained direct control over the region, with a permanent deployment of around 500,000 troops.

Though violence has generally declined since the crackdown in 2019, Tuesday’s attack underscores the lingering volatility and security concerns in the region.

India routinely accuses Pakistan of supporting militant groups operating in Kashmir—an allegation Islamabad denies, asserting instead that it only provides moral and diplomatic support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

The incident has cast a shadow over recent efforts to boost tourism and investment in the Himalayan territory. Security forces have since launched a manhunt to track down the attackers.