Pahalgam terror attack: UN urges India and Pakistan to exercise ‘maximum restraint’

Pahalgam terror attack live: Investigating agencies on Wednesday identified five terrorists involved in the deadly Pahalgam attack, including three Pakistanis and two locals from Jammu and Kashmir, as security forces intensified their hunt for the assailants behind one of the deadliest strikes in the region in nearly 20 years.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Pakistani nationals have been identified as Asif Fauji (alias Moosa), Suleman Shah (alias Yunus), and Abu Talha (alias Asif). The two other operatives were Valley-based: Adil Guri, a resident of Bijbehara in Anantnag who travelled to Pakistan in 2018, and Ahsan, from Pulwama, who also crossed over to Pakistan the same year.

Pahalgam terror attack live: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced a ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Among the 26 victims killed in the attack were two residents of Andhra Pradesh—retired bank employee JS Chandramouli and IT professional Madhusudan from Kavali.

"Reaffirming the state's commitment to national security, CM Naidu announced an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the two killed from Andhra Pradesh -- Chandramouli and IT professional Madhusudan from Kavali," the release said.

The chief minister arrived in Visakhapatnam late Wednesday night to pay tribute to JS Chandramouli, the retired bank employee who was one of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pahalgam terror attack live: Sanjay Dwivedi, a resident of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, is still coming to terms with the tragic loss of his son, Shubham Dwivedi, who was killed in the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. According to Dwivedi, his son had travelled with his wife and sister-in-law to visit a popular scenic spot in Pahalgam known as "mini Switzerland."

Dwivedi shared that his daughter-in-law, who survived the attack, begged the terrorists to kill her as well. However, they spared her life, intending to use her as a witness to deliver a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The family had stopped for snacks at a restaurant 7 km before reaching their destination when the terrorists arrived. They inquired about the family’s religious identity, and upon learning that Shubham was a Hindu, they shot him in the head.

Describing the horrifying event, Dwivedi told ANI, “...My son, his wife, and sister-in-law went to a place called 'mini Switzerland', which is at a high altitude, and we stopped at a restaurant, 7 km before that place. They were having some snacks when the terrorists came. They asked about whether you are Hindu or Muslim, and after that, they shot my son in the head. My daughter-in-law asked them to kill her as well, but they didn't. They told him that we are leaving you alive so that you can tell Modi about all this. We met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Srinagar, and we have told him what we want.”

Pahalgam terror attack live: To show support for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, BJP MP Tejashvi Surya accompanied the families of the victims from Srinagar to Bengaluru.

Bharat Bhushan from Bengaluru and Manjunath Rao from Shivamogga were among those killed in the Pahalgam attack. Their family members were already waiting at Bengaluru Airport.

Speaking to the media, Surya described the Pahalgam attack as one of the "most dastardly" and "barbaric" acts of terrorism.

The BJP MP also highlighted the coordinated efforts between the Union Home Ministry, the local administration, and the state government to ensure the safe return of both the victims' bodies and their surviving relatives to Bengaluru.

"Three people from Karnataka were brutally murdered in a terror attack in Pahalgam. In coordination with the Union Home Ministry, the local administration, and the state government, we have ensured that the mortal remains and the surviving family members reach Bengaluru safely. I accompanied all the family members from Srinagar to Bengaluru. In recent memory, this is one of the most dastardly and barbaric attacks we have seen. Bharat Bhushan is survived by a 3-year-old son, who doesn't even comprehend what death means... Son of Manjunath has just completed his 12th and scored 96% in the examination. He told me that it was the first and the last flight that his father had taken with the family. His exceptionally strong mother has blood stains on the jackets she is wearing, and she said that she will not clean them as it is the last memory of his husband..." Surya told reporters.

Pahalgam terror attack live: The mortal remains of Santosh Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote, victims of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, have been brought to Pune.

Murlidhar Mohol, the minister of state for civil aviation and cooperation, along with Maharashtra ministers Dattatrayya Bharne and Madhuri Misal, paid floral tributes to the deceased.

The district administration confirmed on Wednesday evening that over 500 tourists from Pune are currently in Jammu and Kashmir. Efforts are being made to arrange special flights for those wishing to return following the Pahalgam attack.

Pahalgam terror attack live: The bodies of two tourists from Karnataka, Manjunath Rao and Bharath Bushan, who were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, arrived at Kempegowda International Airport on Thursday. Rao and Bushan were among the 26 victims shot dead in front of their families in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on Tuesday after being targeted due to their religious identity. Most of the victims were tourists.

Union Minister V. Somanna and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya were present to accompany the victims' remains.

Rao's body was taken to his hometown, Shivamogga, while Bushan's final rites will be held in Bengaluru.

Pahalgam terror attack live: The families of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack mourned the tragic loss of their loved ones and urged the government to take firm action against those responsible for the brutal act. The mortal remains of the victims were handed over to their families for the last rites, following the deadly assault that claimed 26 lives in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

In the wake of the attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) convened a high-level meeting to assess the national security situation, with a particular focus on the incident in Pahalgam. The CCS directed all security agencies to remain on heightened alert and take all necessary steps to prevent similar incidents.

The committee also vowed to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack are brought to justice and warned that those supporting or sponsoring such acts will be held accountable.

Reaffirming its firm stance against terrorism, the government highlighted the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana as an example of its continued commitment to pursue and punish individuals involved in terrorist activities or conspiracies.