Pahalgam: Contrary to social media chatter, there was no team from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on holiday in Pahalgam on Tuesday when the terrorists targeted tourists, mostly Hindus, even though a local Muslim man was also among the victims of the attack.
At least 26 died in Tuesday’s attack after four Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists opened fire on the tourists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley—in what is being called one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir.
Sources in the security establishment said that a Hyderabad-based IB man, who was on holiday with his family, was among the 26 killed by the terrorists, adding that the tourists, especially Hindu tourists, were the actual target of the attack.
However, a Muslim man from Pahalgam was also shot dead.
The terrorists allegedly asked the tourists their names and separated the Hindu men while leaving aside the women and children. At least two men purportedly tried to conceal their religious identity, which the attackers later confirmed.
“There was no team from the IB or other agencies on holiday as a group. An IB staffer was here on holiday. An IAF [Indian Air Force] corporal and a Naval officer were on holiday here, too, besides an excise officer sent on deputation. All four were among the 26 tourists killed,” one of the sources said.
They reiterated that all tourists to Baisaran Valley—a popular picnic spot known as “mini Switzerland”—were the target.
Following the social media chatter, the terrorists had issued a statement claiming that the tourists were all from government agencies, which, sources said, was a “blatant lie”.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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