PAHALGAM: Ahead of the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local ponywala were killed, the authorities have established a memorial for the Baisaran victims in the tourist resort.
The “Baisaran Martyrs Memorial”, in eternal remembrance of those killed in the terrorist attack at Baisaran, Pahalgam, on April 22, 2025, has been constructed by the Pahalgam Development Authority.
The memorial has two Indian flags atop and stands as a solemn tribute to 26 lives lost in last year’s attack.
On April 22, 2025, Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists attacked a group of tourists at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, which is also known as mini Switzerland, killing 25 tourists and a local ponywala, Adil Shah, who attempted to snatch the rifle of one of the attackers.
Crafted in black marble, the memorial bears names of all 26 victims engraved in bold golden letters. The tourists arriving in Pahalgam stop at the memorial, offering prayers and paying tribute. The terror attack severely hit Kashmir’s tourism and brought India and Pakistan on the brink of war after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor to target militant infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK on May 7 to avenge the Pahalgam attack. The three LeT terrorists involved in the attack were killed during “Operation Mahadev” on July 28, 2025, at Dachigam forest area in the outskirts of Srinagar.
The tourists visiting Pahalgam are visiting the Baisaran memorial to pay tributes to the tourists and the local ponywala killed in the April 22, 2025, attack. “It is a good step. It will make us remember the victims of the terror incident, and people can offer their tributes to them,” said a tourist, Sant Singh, from Lucknow.
Another tourist, Dr Akhilesh Tiwari from Madhya Pradesh, said, “It shows that the government has not forgotten the attack and its victims,” he said.
“There is the name of 26 victims of the terror attack and the name of the local ponywala (Syed Adil Hussan Shah), who was killed while saving tourists at serial No. 22 in the memorial.
Tiwari said the locals, including the taxi operators, are telling the visitors to visit the memorial and spend some time here to remember those killed by terrorists. “The locals also feel the pain of the terror incident.” The memorial is a testament to the collective grief, courage, and enduring spirit of Kashmir.