Intel Warned of an Attack on Tourists

Officials Said the Lapse Was the Inability to Anticipate Baisaran Attack

- Sunetra Choudhury

NEW DELHI: The Intelligence Bureau and other agencies alerted local security officers in Jammu & Kashmir about the possibility of an attack targeting tourists, but around the time of the Prime Minister's scheduled visit to the UT on April 19, and in Srinagar, people familiar with the matter said.

HT learns that in response, security was enhanced in and around Srinagar, including near several hotels popular with tourists, and also at tourist hotspots such as Dachigam National Park, 22 km away from the city.

But the PM's visit was cancelled on account of bad weather, and when the terrorists struck, killing 26 people, all men, including 25 tourists, 24 of whom were Hindus in a targeted attack, it was in Pahalgam, 90 km away from Srinagar, and on April 22.

"9 out of 10 times they don't come to anything but this one proved correct about tourists. The interpretation, which is the trickiest part, got the location wrong," said a senior police officer, confirming that both Army and civilian security officials in Jammu and Kashmir were told to prepare for an attack around the Prime Minister's visit, at a tourist location near Srinagar.