Various distinguished newspapers in the Kashmir region printed their front pages as black in response to the horrifying terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives on Tuesday. The attack was carried out in the Pahalgam hill resort where most of the victims were tourists.
In an act of solidarity with the victims and condemnation of the attack, all protesting newspapers carried out bold headlines in either white or red. The evocative pieces published by the English and Urdu media bore a stark representation of the sorrow that bereaved the valley and the nation.
Dailies like Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma, Aftab and Tameel Irshad, prodded the populace towards the heinous nature of the crime. One of the major English dailies of the valley, Greater Kashmir printed a copy titled “Gruesome: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving” with a white font over the black background. “Massacre of 26 innocent tourists”, said the headline of a leading Urdu newspaper Kashmir Uzma with the same colour pattern. The main headlines for Urdu newspapers Tameel Irshad and Aftab read “27 tourists including 2 local residents killed” and “28 tourists killed including 2 locals and 2 security personnel, several injured” respectively.
As a result of the attack, the valley witnessed a shut down that was a first in 35 years. Security has been amplified in all areas, especially in tourist spots. Only essential services are allowed to function in the area with peaceful protests erupting that are calling for putting an end to the killing of innocents. According to officials, several shops, fuel stations and business establishments have been shut in Srinagar. Government schools have been allowed to function but the private schools have been closed in the area.
PM Modi has cut his Saudi Arabia trip short and returned to India on Wednesday morning.
LeT offshoot in Kashmir known as the Resistance Front have allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
