India shuts over half of Kashmir tourist spots after deadly attack
More than half of the tourist destinations in India's insurgency-torn Kashmir region have been closed to the public from Tuesday, according to a government order, in a bid to tighten security after last week's attack on holiday-makers.
The assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said.
India has identified two of the three attackers as "terrorists" from Pakistan waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any role and called for a neutral probe.
Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors have increased since the attack, along with calls in India for action against Pakistan.
Delhi and Islamabad have taken a raft of measures against each other since the Kashmir attack. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty — an important river-sharing pact. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
The government of India's Jammu and Kashmir territory has decided to shut 48 of the 87 tourist destinations in Kashmir and has enhanced security at the remaining ones, according to a government document.
No time period was given. Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Nestled in the Himalayas with lofty peaks, picturesque valleys and grand Mughal-era gardens, Kashmir has been emerging as India's tourism hotspot as violence there has waned in recent years.
But the Pahalgam attack has left panic-stricken tourists seeking an early exit at the start of the busy summer season.
Firing has also increased along the 740-kilometer de facto border separating the Indian and Pakistani areas of Kashmir.
On Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive day, the Indian army said it had responded to "unprovoked" small arms fire from multiple Pakistan army posts around midnight.
It gave no further details and reported no casualties. The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Monday that a military incursion by India was imminent and that it had reinforced its forces in preparation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
5 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 13, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 3 minutes ago - 09:11 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Campaigning begins for Tokyo assembly vote, ahead of upper house race TOKYO - Official campaigning for the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election kicked off Friday, drawing attention as a prelude to this summer's House of Councillors race, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's popularity remaining sluggish. As no party holds a majority in the 127-member assembly, all eyes are on whether Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party can retain its seats, with approval ratings for his Cabinet sometimes dipping below 30 percent, widely viewed as the "danger level." ---------- Trump says U.S. Steel controlled by him with "golden share" WASHINGTON - The United States has a "golden share" in United States Steel Corp., President Donald Trump said Thursday, adding it will be controlled by him after Nippon Steel Corp.'s massive investment in the iconic American producer. "We have a golden share, which I control, or a president controls. Now I'm a little concerned whoever the president might be, but that gives you total control," Trump said at a White House event. ---------- Over 290 feared dead in India plane crash, 1 survives: reports NEW DELHI - More than 290 people are believed to have been killed after a London-bound Air India plane crashed shortly after takeoff Thursday in a residential area of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Reuters and other media reported. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, was bound for London's Gatwick Airport, the media said, adding that aside from one known survivor, a British passenger, all were feared dead hours after the accident. The aircraft went down five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. in the Meghani Nagar area. ---------- Japan conveys strong concern over China jet flying close to SDF plane TOKYO - The Japanese government said Thursday it has conveyed to China its "serious concern" after a Chinese fighter jet flew unusually close to a Self-Defense Forces patrol plane over the Pacific in the weekend, warning that such activities carry the risk of collisions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan has demanded that China take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening again, while the top uniformed officer of the SDF said the Chinese fighter "intentionally approached" the Japanese plane. ---------- G7 summit to open Monday, a day later than planned: Canada official NEW YORK - The upcoming Group of Seven summit will open Monday in Canada, a day later than planned, a senior official of the host country said Thursday. The official also hinted that leaders from the major industrial countries will try to adopt shorter, topic-based statements rather than a comprehensive declaration at the end of the forum, which will officially run through Tuesday in Kananaskis. ---------- Trump says he may raise auto tariffs in near future WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he may raise tariffs on auto imports in the near future in a bid to attract more investment in American manufacturing. "I might go up with that tariff in the not-too-distant future. The higher you go, the more likely it is they build a plant here," Trump said at an event at the White House. ---------- Japan SDF to resume trainer jet flights after fatal crash in May TOKYO - The Air Self-Defense Force will resume flights of its T-4 training jets as early as Friday, following a month-long suspension after a fatal crash in central Japan, the ASDF chief of staff said. Although the cause of the May 14 crash that killed two crew members has yet to be determined, Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura said at a press conference Thursday that T-4 aircraft will be allowed to fly once their safety is confirmed. ---------- Taiwan gives China captain 3-yr jail term for undersea cable damage TAIPEI - A Taiwanese court on Thursday handed down a three-year jail term to the captain of a Chinese-crewed vessel for damaging an undersea cable between Taiwan's main island and its outlying Penghu island group in February. The Taiwan Tainan District Court found that the captain of the Hong Tai 58, sailing under a Togolese flag with a crew of eight mainland Chinese, had instructed crew members to release the ship's anchor while at sea in an area near the undersea cable, and allowed the vessel to sail in a zigzag pattern. Video: Canada's CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier makes special port call during Osaka Expo
Nikkei Asia
14 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Air India flight carrying 242 crashes in Ahmedabad, killing over 200
NEW DELHI -- An Air India flight to London with 242 people on board crashed soon after it took off in the western city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the airline said on Thursday without giving details about fatalities and injuries. Local media reports said that more than 200 were killed, while a police commissioner told Indian news agency ANI that police found one survivor of the plane. "He has been in the hospital and is under treatment," the city police chief was quoted as saying. Air India posted on X that the plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Of them, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and 1 Canadian. This is the first crash involving a 787 aircraft. The plane, which departed from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 1:38 p.m. local time, crashed at a nearby medical college hostel a few minutes after takeoff. The Federation of All India Medical Association said that about 50 to 60 students were admitted to a hospital while up to five others were missing. "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. He served as the head of Gujarat for over a decade before taking over the prime minister seat in 2014. "It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected." India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X: "Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a X post called the accident "devastating" and said he was being updated on the situation. Foreign Minister David Lammy said that crisis centers have been set up in India and the U.K. A local TV in India quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as saying that the aircraft "made a mayday call just before the crash." Footage on Indian private TV channel, WION, showed the plane flying low before disappearing from view. A ball of fire followed by a thick plume of smoke engulfing the area quickly appeared from where the plane fell out of sight. The channel also said the black box, or flight recorder, had not been found on the site as of 6:30 p.m. local time. Tata Group-owned Air India chairman N. Chandrasekaran mourned the crash. "With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today," he said in a statement posted by Tata Group on X. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event." The post said that the company was assisting emergency response teams and providing all necessary support and care to those impacted, adding that it had set up an emergency center for families. In a statement, Boeing said on Thursday that it was in touch with Air India and stands ready to support them. "Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected," it said in an X post. Boeing's safety has come under scrutiny over the last few years. The door of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, carrying 177 passengers, blew out in January last year. The plane, enroute to Ontario in California, was forced to return to Portland, Oregon. That accident followed two fatal crashes involving Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft -- in Indonesia in 2018 and in Ethiopia five months later. Perth-based aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas told BBC News, "I am just wondering if, in fact, there was some possible error in the cockpit ... It's very unusual for the undercarriage to still be down a minute or two after takeoff." He said that undercarriages are usually retracted within 10 to 15 seconds of takeoff.
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1260%26fit%3Dcover%26gravity%3Dfaces%26dpr%3D2%26quality%3Dmedium%26source%3Dnar-cms%26format%3Dauto%26height%3D630&w=3840&q=100)
Nikkei Asia
18 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Air India flight carrying 242 passengers crashes near Ahmedabad airport
NEW DELHI -- An Air India flight to London with 242 people on board crashed soon after takeoff in the western city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the airline and TV channels said on Thursday without giving details about fatalities and injuries. "Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest," an Air India spokesperson posted on X. The post also said that the plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, of whom 169 were Indian nationals, 53 are British, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese nationals. The plane crashed near the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he was "devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad." He posted on X: "We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action. Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families." A local TV quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as saying that the aircraft "made a mayday call just before the crash." Footage on Indian private TV channel, WION, showed the plane flying low before disappearing from view. A ball of fire followed by a thick plume of smoke engulfing the area quickly appeared from where the plane fell out of sight. Some injured being taken to hospital was also shown in separate footage. An airport spokesperson said in a statement that the flight crashed shortly near the airport. As a result, the airport in Ahmedabad "is currently not operational," the spokesperson said. "All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice." "Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. We request your cooperation and patience as authorities manage this evolving situation," the spokesperson added. Tata Group-owned Air India chairman N. Chandrasekaran mourned the crash. "With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today," he said in a statement posted by Tata Group on X. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event." The post said that the company was assisting emergency response teams and providing all necessary support and care to those impacted, adding that it had set up an emergency center for families.
