Kashmir on High Alert: 48 Tourist Spots Closed Amid New Terror Threats

Srinagar, April 29 — The Jammu and Kashmir government made a sweeping security decision to shut down 48 of 87 tourist spots in Kashmir after credible intelligence alerts about potential terror strikes. This is after last week’s fatal attack on tourists at Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley killed 26, the majority of whom were tourists.

Based on top sources, intercepts of communications have verified that sleeper cells in the Valley have been activated. Terror groups have warned that intelligence agencies are planning to make coordinated attacks, targeting security personnel, non-local residents, and soft targets in the Valley in the days to come.

“In the wake of the recent militant attack on tourists dated 22.04.2025, intelligence inputs indicate militant groups are in the process of planning more attacks,” intelligence reports obtained by this news outlet show. The reports further show that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is behind targeted attacks on non-local inhabitants, CID officers, and Kashmiri Pandits, particularly in the Srinagar and Ganderbal districts.”.

The threat is being taken very seriously by the authorities. Inputs by the intelligence point towards a higher threat to railway infrastructure because there are a large number of non-local railway personnel present. Security agencies have urged railway officials to remain within the shelter of their camps and barracks.

In a swift reaction, anti-fidayeen units, mostly recruited from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been stationed at vulnerable tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Dal Lake. Security layers around these popular destinations have been significantly strengthened.

The April 22 terror strike at Baisaran Valley was conducted by Pakistan-based militants, officials said, and has since caused a large-scale tourist exodus. Tourist traffic had just begun to pick up when the new threat advisories prompted fresh shutdowns.

While this is happening, a citywide anti-terror sweep is underway. Security personnel are carrying out synchronized raids, arresting hundreds of suspects and sympathizers suspected of having militant connections. In an harsher response, the government has demolished homes of active terrorists.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), who are now investigating the Pahalgam attack, have commenced a rigorous on-spot investigation. Recreations at the crime scenes are ongoing, and investigations are also underway by questioning locals including staff working from nearby tourist destinations such as the zipline location. Even the survivors like Gujarati tourist Rishi Bhatt — whose cellphone footage contains essential photographs of the attackers — are being interviewed in order to recreate the incident timeline.

While Kashmir grapples with the trauma of the Baisaran tragedy, security personnel are on their toes, trying to prevent any more bloodshed in a land still desperate for peace.