DISSECTING THE ATTACK

There is a reason why the terrorists chose Baisaran

- BY SANJIB KR BARUAH

WHEN HAMAS UNLEASHED a savage attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, there were apprehensions in the Indian security establishment about similar attacks being staged in India's hotspots. On April 22, those fears came true at the picturesque Baisaran bowl in Pahalgam, in Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The terror attack had several immediate objectives. One, to kill as many tourists as possible for maximum effect—many were shot at point blank range. Two, to fan communal hatred—victims were asked to recite the 'kalma. And three, to be seen as 'charitable' in an eerie way, as women and children were spared.

The location was chosen because it is a must-visit for any tourist on a Kashmir sojourn. The bowl-shaped valley surrounded by the snow-clad peaks is not easily accessible, and the security forces would take time to react, was another reason.