Tragedy unfolds: Tourist captures zip line moment amid terrorist attack
A cheerful recording captures a tourist happily enjoying a ride on an impressive zip line in the Indian resort of Phalgam, yet it conceals a drama. In the recording, gunshots can be heard, but the man remains unaware of the danger. His video, posted on a Telegram channel, serves as evidence in the investigation into the terrorist attack in Kashmir.
What do you need to know?
- Attack in Kashmir: On April 22, in Pahalgam, a picturesque tourist resort, an attack occurred, killing at least 26 people. The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack.
- Reaction after the attack: The event intensified the conflict between India and Pakistan. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, suspended an irrigation channel project, and India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced the pursuit of militants and suspended India's participation in a water-sharing agreement, closing the main land crossing with Pakistan.
- An investigation is underway regarding the attack at the Pahalgam resort. An accidental recording made by a tourist using recreational equipment has become a bizarre record of dramatic events.
What happened in Kashmir?
Armed attackers targeted tourists in India near the town of Pahalgam on April 22. The attack took place in part of the Baisaran Valley, accessible only on foot or horseback. After the shooting, 26 people were dead, and 12 were injured. Kashmir police inspector general VK Birdi told CNN that among the victims were a citizen of Nepal and a person of Indian origin working in the Middle East.
What happened to the unsuspecting tourist?
The attack is the bloodiest incident of its kind in the region in a quarter of a century. The traveler, who had decided to enjoy a local attraction and opted for an aerial ride suspended on a line, was unaware of what was happening nearby and the danger he was in. He recorded his adventure with a phone, likely held by hand. During the ride, shots were fired, and screams were heard, yet the man paid no attention to them. He glided on the zip line over the scene of the tragedy.
The Kaifarik channel on Telegram published the video. The man captured in it was very fortunate, as he brushed with death without realizing it.
What is the situation in the region?
Kashmir is under Indian administration. The Resistance Front (TRF), considered a faction of the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan, in response to India's accusations of involvement in the Kashmir attack, announced a series of diplomatic measures. Islamabad demands evidence to support these accusations, and the situation is agitated.
For several days, there has been an exchange of fire along the Indian-Pakistani border, a 460-mile-long line that is difficult to control. On Monday, Pakistan's defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters that an Indian military invasion is imminent, which is why Islamabad is strengthening its forces at the border.
