Valley observes bandh after leaders condemn attack; Amit Shah visits Srinagar, reviews situation
Regional leaders called for a collective bandh on Wednesday, prompting people across Kashmir to observe a near-complete shutdown after a deadly militant attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including a local resident. This marks one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the region in recent years.
The shutdown comes at a time when Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a high-level visit to Jammu and Kashmir. He arrived at the Police Control Room (PCR) in Srinagar Wednesday morning to pay tributes to the victims and later headed to Baisaran meadow — the scenic site near Pahalgam where the attack occurred.
Political Unity in Mourning and Protest
Top Kashmiri leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mehbooba Mufti, and Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference issued a joint appeal for a statewide bandh in protest of the massacre. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack as “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.”
All major businesses, schools, and colleges remained shut in Srinagar and other key districts of the Valley. The call for the shutdown witnessed mass participation, reflecting the public outrage over the attack.
Tourist Exodus and Traffic Crisis
As panic spread, hundreds of tourists fled Srinagar and headed towards the airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a special advisory warning of surge pricing due to the sudden demand for return flights. Simultaneously, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) remained partially blocked due to landslides in the Ramban sector, adding to the chaos.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed that officials had reopened NH-44 in one direction but could not allow free vehicular movement due to unstable road conditions. “We’ve directed officials to manage the controlled movement of tourists and clear stranded vehicles as quickly as possible,” he said.
Union Home Minister’s High-Level Review
Accompanied by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Amit Shah also met the grieving families at the PCR. BJP’s Sunil Sharma, Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly, paid his respects as well.
Shah is expected to chair a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar before returning to Delhi. Sources said the meeting will focus on new security strategies to safeguard both tourists and local residents in high-footfall areas like Pahalgam.
