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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that PM Modi cancelled his own visit to Kashmir after receiving an intel report on a possible attack in Jammu and Kashmir three days before the Pahalgam attack happened.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his own visit to Kashmir after receiving an intel report on a possible attack in Jammu and Kashmir three days before the Pahalgam attack happened on April 22.
The attack took place in the picturesque Baisaran Valley, a serene spot known as ‘mini Switzerland’ due to its stunning views of snow-capped peaks. Tourists had gathered in the valley, enjoying pony rides, when gunmen opened fire on them at around 2:30 p.m.
26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
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Addressing the crowd during Samvidhan bachao rally, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "There is intelligence failure, govt has accepted it and they will resolve it. If they knew this, why didn't they do anything?...I got information that 3 days before the attack, an intelligence report was sent to PM Modi and therefore he cancelled his programme to visit Kashmir, I also read this in a newspaper..."
Kharge also said that the government has admitted that there was an intelligence failure in the Pahalgam terror attack.
"They said they would improve it. Our question is when you know about it then why were good arrangements not made?" Kharge asked.
Did the intel see the Pahalgam attack coming?
During a closed-door all-party meeting on April 24, the central government admitted to security lapses in the Pahalgam terror attack, reports have said.
Days before the Pahalgam massacre, intelligence agencies had sounded the alarm about a possible attack on visitors staying near Srinagar's scenic foothills, according to a report by PTI citing official sources. Acting on these inputs, security forces increased patrolling around areas like Dachigam and Nishat, with senior police officials stationed in Srinagar.
The focus was heightened after a terror strike in Gangangir, Sonamarg last October, which left seven people dead.
Despite a two-week-long search operation based on these inputs, no breakthroughs were made, and the mission was called off on the very day of the Pahalgam attack.
Officials believe the terrorists may have aimed to disrupt the planned visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flag off the first train from Katra to Srinagar -- an event seen as symbolic of Kashmir’s integration with the rest of the country.
Although the PM’s visit, originally set for April 19, was postponed due to inclement weather.
