PM Modi Cuts Short Saudi Visit After Deadly Pahalgam Attack Claims 26 Civilian Lives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will curtail his visit to Saudi Arabia and return to India tonight following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead — the most severe assault on non-combatants in the region in recent years, according to officials.

The Prime Minister was initially scheduled to return on Wednesday night.

Sources indicate that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval visited the Royal Palace in Riyadh to inform the Saudi leadership of the Prime Minister’s abrupt change in schedule.

Upon his return, PM Modi is expected to convene a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security in Delhi on Wednesday to evaluate the deteriorating security situation in Kashmir.

The attack took place at a well-known meadow near the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam — often referred to as “mini Switzerland” — around 90 km from Srinagar. Eyewitnesses report that militants opened fire indiscriminately at tourists engaged in leisure activities such as pony rides and picnics.

Due to the area's limited accessibility — reachable only by foot or horseback — helicopters were deployed to airlift the injured. The affected families have been relocated to the government-run Pahalgam Club under heightened security.

Earlier in the day, following the attack, PM Modi spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah, instructing him to visit the Union Territory immediately. Shah arrived in Srinagar shortly after 9 pm and proceeded directly to the Raj Bhavan.

Upon arrival, he was briefed by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat. Also present were Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka.

Commenting on the incident, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the assault as “unprecedented in scale” for civilian targets in recent years.

“This brutal attack on innocent visitors is nothing short of barbaric,” he said. “Those responsible are devoid of humanity and deserve unequivocal condemnation.”