Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi trip and returned home following the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Reports suggest that even though he used the Pakistan airspace while going to Jeddah, his flight avoided the airspace on the return trip. Questions are being raised about whether it was purely due to security reasons or if the Indian PM is trying to send a message to Islamabad.

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PM Modi landed in Delhi early Wednesday morning, and Home Minister Amit Shah is in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. The deadly terrorist attack left 26 dead, mostly tourists, who were in Pahalgam with their families. 

Also Read: Blood in the Valley, silence from Islamabad: A test for US-India ties

As soon as PM Modi reached Delhi, he was briefed about the situation at the airport by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

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Meanwhile, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Nalin Prabhat briefed Shah as soon as he reached Srinagar on Tuesday. He also met families of those who lost their lives and visited the attack site in Baisaran.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also informed on social media that he had spoken with Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah and Congress' J&K unit president Tariq Karra about the Pahalgam terror attack.

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Avoiding Pakistan airspace: A strategic decision? 

The decision to avoid the Pakistan airspace is being seen in two different lights. First, it is possible that the deadly attack in Pahalgam created an atmosphere where approaching authorities to get airspace clearance was not feasible, given the circumstances. However, some experts think that PM Modi might be using the situation as a way to deliver a strong message to Pakistan. 

On Tuesday, militants opened indiscriminate fire at tourists in Baisaran, after which Jammu was put on high alert. The capital city of Delhi was also on high alert. 

Who are the Pahalgam terrorists?

Security agencies have also released a sketch of the terrorists who killed innocent people in Pahalgam. According to officials, their names are - Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.