It was supposed to be a thrilling vacation memory. A tourist, dressed in a blue checked shirt and sporting a helmet and sunglasses, zipped across the scenic valley of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, smiling into his selfie stick. What he didn’t realize was that a brutal terror attack was raging beneath him. The sounds of gunfire echoed through the valley, but caught in the rush of the ride, he remained blissfully unaware.
The chilling 53-second video, now widely shared on social media, shows the man enjoying his zipline adventure even as chaos erupts on the ground. Other tourists scramble for safety, some diving behind kiosks, while shots ring out in the background. Another tourist suddenly collapses nearby as the man glides toward the ground, likely struck by a bullet.
Deadliest Attack Since Pulwama
The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack. This marks the deadliest strike in the Kashmir Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
Earlier videos from the day show terrified tourists running for cover as bursts of gunfire shattered the peaceful surroundings. Later footage captured the grim aftermath, with bodies lying across the grass and the crackle of gunfire filling the air.
Reacting strongly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to hunt down those responsible. “India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers, and we will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” Modi declared. He added that the punishment awaiting them would be “bigger than they can imagine.”
Following the attack, India moved quickly to downgrade diplomatic ties with Pakistan, suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, and revoke visa services for Pakistani nationals. Pakistan struck back by sealing its airspace to Indian airlines and issued a chilling warning: any move to divert water would be seen as an act of war.
