Navy officer among tourists killed in Pahalgam terror carnage

Srinagar, April 22 (IANS) An Indian navy officer was among the tourists killed by terrorists in J&K’s Pahalgam hill station.

A defence official said, “One Indian Navy Officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (aged 26 years), who was posted in Kochi, has been killed in the Pahalgam attack while he was on leave. He is a native of Haryana and got married on 16 April.”

While officials here said that the death toll in Tuesday’s terror attack will be released after the list is compiled with names and addresses of the victims, sources confirmed to IANS that 26 tourists have been killed, including two foreigners and 20 injured, including tourists and locals.

Most of the injured, who are stable, are being treated at the Pahalgam hospital, while those with critical injuries have been shifted for specialised treatment to Srinagar.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Valley and Jammu have called for a protest shutdown against the terror attack tomorrow.

Local traders, tour and travel operators and others have supported the shutdown call.

Candlelight protests were carried out by locals in Srinagar, Pahalgam, Baramulla and other places. The protesters demanded punishment for the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam carnage.

Tuesday’s is the biggest terror attack in J&K after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. The home minister,

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security meeting at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.

The meeting was attended by LG Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary, Director IB, senior army and paramilitary officers, J&K DGP and intelligence officers.

Amit Shah is visiting the terror attack site tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a massive anti-terrorist operation is presently going on in the Pahalgam area to hunt down the terrorists responsible for today’s cowardly attack.

The Resistance Front (TRF,) an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit, has claimed responsibility for the terror attack on unarmed, innocent tourists.

--IANS

sq/dan