Culprits won't be spared: Amit Shah after paying last respects to the deceased of Pahalgam terror attacks

Srinagar, April 23 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday vowed that the perpetrators of the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam will be brought to justice and added that India will never bend to cowardly acts of terror.

The attack, which took place in the scenic Baisaran Valley, claimed the lives of over two dozen tourists, after terrorists emerged from forest cover and opened indiscriminate firing on unarmed civilians.

Shah, who visited the survivors and families of the victims in Srinagar, expressed grief and pledged strict action against the perpetrators of heinous massacre.

"With a heavy heart, paid last respects to the deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will not bend to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared," Shah wrote in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, the Union Minister, accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, paid tributes to the victims at the Police Control Room in Srinagar, where the mortal remains were brought under tight security arrangements.

Meanwhile, the government has moved swiftly to facilitate the return of the victims to their native states.

The Civil Aviation Ministry arranged four additional flights from Srinagar on Wednesday -- two each to Delhi and Mumbai. Authorities have also directed that airfare remain under control, despite the travel rush, as the Srinagar-Jammu Highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day.

A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived in Srinagar and headed to Pahalgam to begin collecting evidence related to the terror strike.

A major combing and search operation is underway in and around the Baisaran Valley to track down the terrorists responsible for the heinous assault.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while expressing condolences, said the attack has only strengthened India's resolve to eliminate terrorism from its soil.

"Such acts of cowardice will not deter India. We are more determined than ever to root out terrorism," the PM said.

Locally, the Kashmir valley witnessed a near-total shutdown in response to the attacks. Shops, commercial establishments, public transport, and educational institutions remained closed.

The shutdown was called by traders, industrialists, political groups, and religious organisations, sending a strong message of unity and mourning.

--IANS

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