Pahalgam attack: IB officer shot in front of wife, children
What's the story
A Hyderabad-based Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer was one of the victims of a terrorist attack that left 28 people dead in Kashmir on Tuesday.
Manish Ranjan, a native of Bihar, was shot dead before his wife and kids, who were on a family trip to Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley. The beautiful location is commonly known as "Mini Switzerland."
The family was on vacation there when the attack happened.
Family status
Ranjan's family reportedly safe after attack
Ranjan had been posted in the ministerial wing of IB's Hyderabad office for two years and lived in a government accommodation allotted by the agency.
His family was on a Leave Travel Concession (LTC) trip to Kashmir when he was killed.
Initial reports suggested his wife and children survived the attack, but their status is yet to be confirmed by officials.
Attack details
Terrorist attack claims lives of 28 tourists
At least 28 tourists were killed and several others injured in the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
The Resistance Front, a front of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba backed by ISI, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Intelligence agencies have named Saifullah Kasuri alias Khalid, a senior LeT commander, and two PoK-based operatives as the masterminds of the attack, India Today reported.
This is one of the deadliest attacks since Article 370 was abrogated in 2019.
Strategic timing
Attack coincided with US Vice President's visit to India
The attack came on the second day of US Vice President JD Vance's four-day India visit and the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Saudi Arabia.
The incident forced PM Modi to cut short his diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia. He returned to Delhi early Wednesday for an emergency Cabinet Committee on Security meeting.
It also echoes the Chittisinghpora massacre of March 2000, when 36 Sikhs were killed days before then-US President Bill Clinton's India visit.