Mayhem in Pahalgam: Blow by blow account of how J & K terror attack unfolded - victims, suspects, weapons, response | All you need to know

Pahalgam terror attack - all you need to know: A group of Pakistan-based terrorists opened fire at innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, mostly tourists from different states of India, leaving at least 27 people dead and over a dozen injured. Below is how the attack unfolded and the aftermath.

Read this ready reckoner with all details of the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam that took place on Tuesday (Apr 22).

The attack took place on the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam between 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM local time on Tuesday. The indiscriminate firing targeted a picnic spot in the area.

Security forces reached as soon as possible and cordoned off the area. Due to the lack of road access, they had to walk and trek to the spot.

The Indian Army rushed helicopters to the attack site. The Army and CRPF vehicles were rushed and security forces were mobilised. Ambulances were pressed into service around 4 PM.

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah returned to Srinagar at 5 PM. At around 8 PM, he left his residence for Pahalgam.

Tourists injured in the attack were moved to the local hospital by 6 PM.

A combing operation started in the upper reaches of Pahalgam soon after the attack. Anti-terror squad, army commandos and CRPF were involved in the operations in Baisaran and Peer Panjal mountain region.

Joint CRPF and police mobile check posts were set up at every route going to Pahalgam.

At around 530 PM, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Army's Northern Theatre Commander Lt Gen MV Suchendra Kumar left for Srinagar from New Delhi at around 7:46 PM.

Home Minister Amit Shah left for Srinagar at 7:48 PM and landed in Srinagar at 8:53 PM. Shah held a security review meeting at 10:24 PM. On Wednesday, he reached the attack site to take stock of the situation.

PM Modi skipped the official dinner hosted by Saudi Arabia and cut short his visit at 11:04 PM.

In the early hours of April 23, PM Modi spoke to US President Donald Trump.

Modi left for India from Jeddah at 02:05 AM Wednesday, and landed back in New Delhi at 06:45 AM Wednesday.

The PM immediately took a briefing at the airport with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jayashankar and other top officials.

Security agencies on Wednesday released sketches of the suspected terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack. The three identified suspects are Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha.

The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group linked to the Pakistani terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). TRF had in the past targeted civilians, Kashmiri pandits and migrant workers. 

According to security sources, two types of weapons were used: AK 47 and possibly AK 56 guns, and M4 American assault rifles. 

According to earlier reports, a Pakistani Lashkar-e Taiba commander was part of the group that carried out the attack. Lashkar commander Adil Gouri was earlier in India and went back to Pakistan in 2018. Gouri had recently infiltrated back into India, according to security sources.

Most of the victims were civilian tourists hailing from different states of India. Among them were Bengaluru resident Bharath Bhushan, whose elderly parents are sick and heart patients.

Another victim was Manjunath from Karnataka, who had shared videos of his trip with his wife just a few hours prior to the attack.

Karnataka Labour minister Santosh Lad is in Kashmir to coordinate with Kannadigas who are affected in Kashmir terror attack.

Three persons from Thane’s Dombivali area in the western state of Maharashtra were among the dead, identified as Hemant Joshi, Sanjay Lele and Atul Mone. 

Two foreign tourists and one local resident of Anantnag are among those killed. One of the foreigners is said to be a Nepali.

One Indian Navy Officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal aged 26 years, who was posted in Kochi, has been killed too. The Haryana native was on leave, and had got married on 16 April in Karnal.

Prashant Satpathy, a resident of Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, lost his life in the Pahalgam attack.

Manish Ranjan, an Indian Intelligence  Bureau officer posted in Hyderabad, was killed in the attack. He was on leave and went to Kashmir along with his family. He was killed in front of his wife and two children. Ranjan was a native of Bihar.

The victims' bodies will be sent first to Srinagar airport, and then flown back to their respective states.

US President Donald Trump expressed his "full support" to India in a call with PM Modi. "President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack," said the Indian foreign ministry. Modi thanked President Trump for his expression of support and reaffirmed India’s resolve to bring the perpetrators and those supporting the heinous and cowardly act to justice.

Tributes and condemnation started pouring in from world leaders, including President Trump, soon after the attack. US Vice President JD Vance, who was on a state visit to India at the time of the attack, also condemned it.

Other leaders who stood with India included Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was the first head of state to condemn the attack at around 10:27 PM on Tuesday.

Several groups of Kashmiris immediately came to the streets in large numbers in a spontaneous show of solidarity with the victims of the terror attack.

They included the taxi drivers of Pahalgam, who held a candlelight protest march. 

Gulzar Ahmad Wani, president of Pahalgam Taxi Association, said, "I condemn this attack. It is not just tourists, but our livelihood, our families. We don't consider them tourists, It is as if our family members have been killed."

According to reports, the National Investigation Agency is most likely to take over the investigation of the Pahalgam terror attack. 

Some Airlines have pushed into service more flights without extra charges, for those tourists who want to leave Pahalgam. 

Air India and IndiGo will operate a total of four additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday.

Several organisations, including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have called for a complete shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir.

As a mark of respect and solidarity with the families of the victims, Private School Association Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) said that educational institutes across Kashmir valley will remain closed on Wednesday.

In Indian capital Delhi as well as other cities, security has been tightened.

Delhi Police have been instructed to keep a close watch on tourist places and other important sites.

Key installations and places of worship like the Ayodhya temple are also under high alert.

A special help desk has been set up around the clock at the Anantnag Police Control Room, dedicated to assisting tourists with any emergencies or queries.

Contact Numbers are: 9596777669  01932225870 WhatsApp: 9419051940

Indian Army retaliated to firing from Pakistani forces who violated ceasefire on the Line of Control just hours after the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan army opened fire at Poonch, Tatapani and adjoining areas.

Separately, some terrorists tried to infiltrate through Uri Nala, Baramulla. Security forces challenged and intercepted them, resulting in a firefight.