India In Anger And Anguish, Hunts Terrorists; Tensions With Pak Rise

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – In the aftermath of a brutal attack that claimed the lives of 26 individuals at a popular tourist destination – the deadliest assault on civilians in nearly two decades – armed police and soldiers launched extensive searches of homes and forests in Indian Kashmir on April 25. India’s army chief also visited the region to assess the security situation.

There have been reports of sporadic firing along the Line of Control that divides Indian and Pakistani Kashmir, according to the Indian army.

The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, has ignited widespread outrage and grief across India, fueling calls for decisive action against neighboring Pakistan. New Delhi has long accused Islamabad of sponsoring and supporting terrorism in Kashmir.

Tensions between the two neighbors have escalated, with both countries implementing a series of punitive measures. India has placed the critical Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, signaling a potential disruption of water flow, while Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines. “We will ensure that not a single drop of the Indus River’s water reaches Pakistan,” declared Indian Water Resources Minister C.R. Paatil in a post on X.

The army chief’s visit to Kashmir followed a strong vow from Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day prior, who pledged to pursue the perpetrators to the “ends of the earth.” Modi emphasized that those killed in the attack hailed from various parts of India, underscoring the national impact of the tragedy.

This latest incident evokes memories of 2019, when India conducted a military strike within Pakistani territory as retaliation for a suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers. Several prominent leaders within the BJP have already voiced calls for renewed military action against Pakistan. (with inputs from Reuters)