On 22nd April, 2025, four terrorists carrying assault rifles wandered into a field in Pehalgam and gunned down 26 Indian men. The terrorists first asked the men their religion, and when they replied “Hindu,” they were murdered in cold blood. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers then forced the men to remove their pants to check for circumcision, made them recite the Kalma, and shot anyone unable to do so. When one man said he was Christian, they killed him within seconds. As news broke, the nation saw video of wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters screaming for help as they held their loved ones—and our tears would not stop.

Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, has claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF emerged in 2019 and is considered an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, a Delhi-based think tank. Lashkar-e-Taiba, listed as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States, is the Islamist group accused of plotting attacks in India and the West, including the three-day assault on Mumbai in November 2008.

Kashmir had been doing better. Tourism was booming and people from all over the country came to enjoy its beauty and hospitality. A close friend who visited last year told me that, if she could be born again, she would ask to be born in Kashmir. 

When the terrorists began shooting, a pony operator named Adil Hussain grabbed one attacker’s arm and tried to shield innocent tourists with his body. Adil was the eldest son and when he was just 18, he took on his family’s responsibilities. An eye witness claimed that Adil grabbed her arm and dragged her to safety, and then he went back to wrestle with the terrorists.  Ultimately, he sacrificed his life to save others. Bravery must run in the blood, for Adil’s cousin Nazakat carried a young child—who called him “chacha” (uncle)—to safety, as if the child were his own.

After the news broke, propaganda machines hijacked the narrative, skewing it toward hatred of Muslims and Kashmiris. Some claimed such an attack was impossible without local support; others blamed the government’s lack of preparedness. Pehalgam is a popular tourist spot with 2,000–3,000 visitors coming to the meadow daily. Kashmir has seen its defense personnel cut by more than 100,000 in difficult terrain, retired General Bakshi noted. The government has since admitted security lapses. Home Minister Amit Shah visited victims’ families and faced their anger, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah apologized: “I asked you to come and you trusted me. But, I failed to protect you.”

The men who died came from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnal, Bangalore—some on family vacations, some with friends, some honeymooning. Kashmiris held mass protests, and Pehalgam shut down in mourning for five days. Tourism has since nosedived, and innocent Muslim men and women are being targeted across the country. Kashmiri students have been beaten; doctors have denied treatment to patients simply because of the patient’s faith. By treating our own countrymen with hostility, we play into the terrorists’ hands, punishing the innocent and undermining peace.

Today marks the tenth day since this atrocity. India has exited the Indus Waters Treaty, and both India and Pakistan have expelled each other’s diplomats. Pakistan claims credible intelligence of an impending Indian attack, but New Delhi has remained silent and barred live media coverage of any retaliation, fearing it might aid Pakistan.

Kashmiris are scared and lost. “Tourists used to say hi to our children as they went to school,” one trader said. “There was love and peace… we were so happy. Now, it’s all gone. We don’t know if it will return again.”

While terror may seek to instill fear, Indians everywhere have sworn: we will never surrender Kashmir. Kashmir is the crown upon India’s head; Kashmir is ours for all time; Kashmir and its people are an integral part of India.