Pahalgam Terror Attack: Jammu witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday as multiple organisations protested the brutal killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack near Pahalgam. The bandh was called to express collective outrage and demand decisive action against the perpetrators.
Photo : PTI
Widespread anger and grief erupted across Jammu following the brutal terrorist attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. In response, several organisations including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Transporters’ Association, Jammu Bar Association, and the Congress party have called for a complete shutdown in Jammu (Kashmir Bandh) on Wednesday to protest the killings.
JCCI President Arun Gupta, while announcing the bandh, said, “We have given a bandh call tomorrow as a mark of protest against the killing of tourists in Kashmir. We condemn it in the strongest terms. We urge Jammu people to join in, making this shutdown complete.” Gupta demanded strict action from authorities, urging the government to eliminate those responsible for the carnage.
“We stand with the families who lost their loved ones. We urge Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure that those involved, along with their overground supporters, are eliminated,” he added. Calling the shutdown a symbolic expression of collective outrage, Gupta further stated, “We want to send a clear message that such barbarism has no place in a civilised society. Targeting innocent tourists is not just an act of terror, it is an assault on humanity.”
VHP President Rajesh Gupta echoed similar sentiments, describing the killings as faith-based. “It is a massacre by terrorists based on faith. They identified people by religion and killed them. We will not tolerate it,” he said. Urging calm amid anger, he added, “We request the people of Jammu to maintain calm, even though there is deep anger over the killing of Hindus.”