Subhechcha Ganguly 
Intelligence agencies had warned of a possible terrorist attack targeting tourists in Srinagar around April 19, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Jammu and Kashmir. However, the location of the actual attack—Pahalgam, nearly 90 km away—was not mentioned in the alerts, officials familiar with the developments told Hindustan Times.
In response to the intelligence, security was ramped up across Srinagar, particularly around tourist-frequented hotels and landmarks such as Dachigam National Park. Agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had flagged the potential threat to local security forces, leading to heightened preparedness in the city.
However, due to adverse weather conditions, the Prime Minister’s visit was cancelled. Just three days later, on April 22, terrorists launched a brutal assault in Pahalgam’s Baisaran area, killing 26 men—including 25 tourists, 24 of whom were Hindus—in what officials have described as a targeted attack.
Senior officials admitted that while the warning correctly anticipated a strike on tourists, it misjudged the location. “Nine out of ten times these alerts don’t materialize, but this one did. The problem was in interpreting the location,” a senior police officer said, confirming that both military and civilian security personnel had been alerted ahead of the Prime Minister’s expected visit.
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, who had been monitoring the situation from Srinagar for four days, had just landed in Jammu on the day of the attack and was forced to return immediately.
There was no specific mention of Pahalgam in the intelligence inputs, officials emphasized. But in hindsight, they believe the attackers waited for an opportune moment after the PM’s visit was called off. That opportunity came swiftly with the confirmation of US Vice President JD Vance’s visit on April 16.
Officials acknowledged a failure to anticipate the vulnerability of Baisaran, a location that remains accessible year-round and is typically closed only during the Amarnath Yatra. According to sources, two local militants herded the tourists into a confined area, while two foreign attackers opened fire. The location’s single, ticket-controlled entry and exit point made escape nearly impossible.
Security agencies are now reviewing the incident and re-evaluating protocols for tourist areas, especially in the context of high-profile visits and advance intelligence warnings.
