Pahalgam incident: Families of victims slam Modi govt over security lapse

Grief turned into fury as families of the victims of the recent attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, lashed out at the Indian government over the lack of adequate security measures.

The deadly assault on Tuesday claimed the lives of 26 tourists and left 12 others injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire in the scenic region.

One of the most emotional confrontations came from the widow of a victim—a banker whose body was returned to Surat. During Union Minister C.R. Patil’s condolence visit, she directly challenged the government, accusing it of prioritizing VIP security over the safety of ordinary citizens who dutifully pay their taxes. “You travel in VIP buses with full protection—don’t we deserve the same?” she questioned sharply.

She also raised serious concerns about the absence of security forces and emergency medical services at such a heavily visited tourist destination.

Eyewitness Paras Jain, a tourist from Maharashtra, described the horrifying scene, saying the attack lasted nearly half an hour with no sign of help or intervention from security personnel. “It was total chaos—there was absolutely no support,” he said.

Meanwhile, local Kashmiris have expressed skepticism about the official version of the events, with some suggesting the attack might have been orchestrated. They pointed out that the site of the shooting is under constant surveillance and security, making the attackers’ undetected entry seem highly unlikely.

The Indian government is also facing criticism for allegedly using the tragedy to further divide Kashmiri communities. Many are questioning the supposed benefits of revoking Article 370, which once granted the region special autonomy. “They promised peace and safety after scrapping Article 370—so what exactly have we gained?” one local resident asked pointedly.