In response to the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley that claimed 26 lives, including two foreign tourists, the Anantnag Police have announced a ₹20 lakh cash reward for credible information leading to the neutralisation of the perpetrators.
The attack, which took place on April 22, 2025, has been labelled as one of the deadliest strikes on civilians in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack, reigniting concerns over security in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Anantnag Police released a public notice on X, detailing the reward and urging citizens to provide actionable intelligence. The police assured that the identity of the informants will be kept strictly confidential. Contact numbers for SSP Anantnag (9596777666) and PCR Anantnag (9596777669), along with an email (dpoanantnag-jk@nic.in), were provided for sharing information.
The attack occurred in the scenic Baisaran meadows, a popular tourist destination in Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district. According to reports from The Times of India and The Hindu, a group of 4-6 militants armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s opened fire on unsuspecting tourists, killing 26 people, including two foreigners, two locals, and an Indian Air Force officer from Arunachal Pradesh. Several others were injured in the assault, which has been widely condemned as a “cowardly act of terrorism” by the Supreme Court of India and political leaders across the spectrum.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a terror outfit linked to Pakistan-based groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the aftermath, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the attack site in Baisaran and later met with the injured at the Government Medical College Hospital in Anantnag. Shah vowed that the perpetrators and their supporters would face justice, saying, “The terrorists who are guilty of this attack and those who are helping them will be punished.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also stepped in, deploying a team led by a Deputy Inspector General-rank officer to assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the investigation. The NIA is expected to conduct forensic analysis and gather evidence to identify the militants involved.
Security forces, including the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, have cordoned off the area and launched extensive search operations to track down the militants. However, the use of financial rewards to solicit information has raised questions about its effectiveness.
The Pahalgam attack has not only shaken the local tourism industry but also highlighted the ongoing security challenges in the Valley. As authorities intensify their efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice, the nation mourns the loss of innocent lives and braces for the long road to recovery in one of its most picturesque regions.
— Anantnag Police( اننت ناگ پولیس) (@AnantnagPolice) April 23, 2025
