Case Summary

In a brutal terror attack in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, Islamic terrorists reportedly asked individuals their names and religious identities before opening fire, specifically targeting those who identified as Hindus. The Islamic terrorists belonging to the proxy of Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), The Resistance Force, checked IDs, pulled down pants to verify religion (by checking whether the men were circumcised or not), and executed those identified as non-Muslims, point-blank in Baisaran Valley. As per the latest reports, 26 individuals were killed, out of which 24 were Hindus, and 17 were injured, out of which 16 were Hindus. According to eyewitness accounts and official reports, terrorists dressed in fatigues opened fire indiscriminately on a group of tourists around 2:30 PM. Multiple accounts indicate that the assailants first asked individuals their names and religious identities before opening fire, targeting those who were Hindus. A female survivor recounted that her husband was shot in the head shortly after she disclosed her religion as Hindu. Another witness stated explicitly that the terrorists fired after confirming that the tourists were not Muslim. One of the pictures of the attack that went viral on social media was of a grief-stricken Hindu woman sitting beside her dead husband. According to reports, she was recently married and on her honeymoon in Kashmir when the terrorists attacked and killed him. The firing, which lasted for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, resulted in scenes of chaos and bloodshed, with several videos showing women crying for help and injured tourists lying motionless on the ground. A 41-year-old Bharat Bhushan, a tech professional from Bengaluru, was brutally gunned down in front of his wife and three-year-old son. According to Bhushan’s mother-in-law, who spoke to her daughter Sujatha after the incident, the terrorists coldly asked the victims whether they were Hindus before opening fire. “They apparently asked, ‘Are you Hindu?’ and then shot them. My son-in-law was murdered because of his faith,” she said through tears. “They didn’t touch the women or children, but the men… they were shot in the head. They kept shooting till they fell.” Victims reported that local people were heard reciting verses from the Quran during and after the attack, with many shouting "Bismillah-Bismillah." The attackers also forced the Hindus to recite the azaan before executing them. Among the victims was also a Pune-based family, who tragically lost a member in the attack. A 26-year-old family member, Asavari Jagdale, recounted the harrowing experience, describing how her family sought refuge in a nearby tent along with other tourists after the gunfire began. The group, assuming the shooting was a clash between terrorists and security forces, lay on the ground in an attempt to stay safe. However, the terrorists entered the tent and specifically targeted Asavari's father, calling him out by name. They then proceeded to insult him for supporting Prime Minister Modi and demanded that he recite Islamic verses. When he failed to do so, they shot him in the head and back, killing him instantly. Asavari’s uncle was also shot multiple times. The woman also added that the attack was similar to the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, and terrorists had worn soldiers' uniforms. Security forces, including the Indian Army’s Victor Force, Special Forces, J&K Police’s Special Operations Group, and the CRPF, have launched a massive search and cordon operation in the area. No exchange of fire was reported during the terrorists’ retreat. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly” and “despicable” act of terror. He assured that those responsible would be brought to justice. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who reached Srinagar on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) night, interacted with families of those killed and other survivors of the attack on Wednesday (April 23, 2025). A team of the National Investigation Agency also reached Pahalgam to assist the local police in the probe. At the time of publishing this report, security agencies released sketches of three men suspected of being involved in the attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured the people of India of a “loud and clear response” to the Pahalgam terror attack, saying the government will “take every necessary step”. Singh also said the terrorists executed a “cowardly attack”, targeting a “particular religion”.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case was categorised under the primary category- Attack Resulting in Death. Under that, the subcategory relevant is- Attacked for Hindu Identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime. Under this category, cases where the attack led to the death of the Hindu victim/s would be documented. The Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists, including 24 Hindus, were killed, constitutes a clear case of religiously motivated violence and warrants inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker. Eyewitness testimonies reveal that the assailants deliberately asked for the names and checked the religious identities of the tourists before opening fire, selectively targeting those who were Hindus. A woman survivor recounted how she was asked about her religion moments before her husband was shot in the head. This premeditated act of profiling based on religious identity, followed by indiscriminate violence against Hindu civilians, is not a random act of terror but a targeted hate crime. The attackers sought to instil fear among Hindu pilgrims and tourists in Kashmir, leveraging identity-based violence as a means of ideological assertion and communal intimidation. By invading a popular tourist site, asking for names and faiths, and executing Hindu civilians, the perpetrators clearly displayed an intent to terrorise Hindus and discourage their presence in the region. Such attacks are emblematic of a broader pattern of religiously motivated hostility that systematically targets Hindus for their identity. The methodical nature of the attack — verifying names, checking religion, and then firing, reflects not only religious bigotry but also a desire to cleanse public spaces of non-Muslim presence. This makes the Pahalgam shooting not merely an act of terrorism but a communal hate crime that fits squarely within the scope of Hinduphobic violence. Disclaimer: According to reports, a total of 26 men were brutally killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, of whom 24 were identified as Hindu men. Additionally, 17 individuals sustained injuries in the attack, with 16 of them confirmed to be Hindus. For documentation purposes in the tracker, we have recorded the victim count as 40, comprising the 24 Hindu men killed and the 16 Hindu individuals injured. We acknowledge that three additional victims—two killed and one injured—who were not identified as Hindus, also suffered in the same attack. Their suffering is equally tragic, and they too are victims of this horrific act of Islamic terror. However, given the targeted nature of the assault, which was evidently aimed at Hindus, these three individuals can be considered collateral victims in a hate-driven attack against Hindus. The nature of the incident underscores a clear pattern of religiously motivated violence, and these victims, though not Hindu, were caught in an assault that was fundamentally rooted in anti-Hindu hatred. However, since the Hinduphobia Tracker is dedicated to documenting acts of violence specifically targeting Hindus, the recorded victim count has been maintained at 40. This figure reflects the number of Hindu individuals who were either killed or injured in the Pahalgam terror attack, in line with the tracker’s purpose of highlighting incidents rooted in anti-Hindu animosity.