Trail of terror: The bloodstained journey to Amarnath

The massacre in Pahalgam on April 22 inflicted on tourists in India-administered Kashmir was the latest in a series of attacks along a route to Amarnath Temple travelled by Hindu pilgrims each year.

Thousands of devout Hindu pilgrims undertake the arduous journey to the Amarnath cave shrine, nestled high in the Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir, a state that is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and which is fraught with decades of insurgency and opposition to India's rule.

Before the attack at Pahalgam, which took the lives of at least 26 tourists, the route was targeted on several occasions, going at least as far back as 2000. 

Pilgrims use the town as a base camp before starting their 32km journey on foot or on horses through the mountainous terrain to reach the Amarnath cave temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

This is one of several routes that pilgrims take for what is known as the annual Amarnath Yatra. The 39-day yatra will commence on July 3.

Why do militants choose this route?

After the Anantnag Bus Ambush on July 10, 2017, top security officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, emphasised that the attack aimed to sabotage communal harmony and derail the Amarnath Yatra, The Hindu reported on July 12, 2017.

Militants also target the Amarnath Yatra route for strategic, symbolic, and psychological reasons.

While being an important religious ritual for the Hindu community, it also helps local Muslims as it generates income for pony handlers, porters, and shopkeepers.

The Amarnath route passes through remote, mountainous terrain, often with limited access for rapid security deployment.

Some stretches – like Baisaran in Pahalgam or Sheshnag camp – are accessible only on foot or horseback, making them vulnerable to surprise attacks.

Symbolic targeting of religious harmony

The Amarnath Yatra is a prominent Hindu religious event in a Muslim-majority region. Militants often want to project the region as unsafe for non-Muslims, feeding narratives of religious conflict. The Yatra involves tens of thousands of pilgrims, making any attack newsworthy on national and international platforms.

Militants aim to draw attention to their cause and showcase their capabilities through high-casualty, high-publicity events. Attacks aim to show that the government cannot secure even the most sacred civilian events. This shakes public trust in the security apparatus and discourages tourism.

Pahalgam and earlier attacks on the route

The Nuwan Massacre, 2000: The most horrific of these attacks occurred on August 1, 2000, when heavily armed militants attacked the Nuwan base camp near Pahalgam during the Amarnath Yatra.

In the dead of night, they launched a coordinated assault using automatic rifles and grenades. The attackers targeted tents where pilgrims and porters were resting, leading to scenes of chaos and carnage.

A total of 32 people were killed in the attack, including 21 Hindu pilgrims, 7 local Muslim porters, and several members of the security forces. More than 60 people were injured.

Survivors described the horror of waking up to gunfire and explosions, running barefoot in panic, and witnessing fellow pilgrims struck down in the darkness.

This attack stood out not only for its brutality but also for the symbolic target – it sought to undermine interfaith solidarity and disrupt the spiritual rhythm of the Yatra.

The Indian government blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for orchestrating the massacre, adding to the already tense diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Nuwan massacre remains etched as one of the most heinous attacks on a religious gathering in India in recent memory.

Sheshnag Camp Attack, July 2001: Barely a year later, on July 20, violence erupted at the Sheshnag camp. Militants unleashed gunfire and grenades, killing 13 individuals, including six pilgrims. The attack prompted a swift response from security forces, who neutralised two attackers, but the damage was already done.

Nunwan and Sarbal Twin Attacks, August 2002: In a coordinated strike on August 6, militants attacked two camps on the same day.

At Nunwan and Sarbal, nine people lost their lives and several were injured. The attackers targeted both pilgrims and service providers, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence.

Anantnag Bus Ambush, July 2017: Before Pahalgam, the most recent high-casualty attack occurred on July 10, 2017, when a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims was ambushed in Anantnag district. Eight pilgrims, mostly from Gujarat, were killed and 18 others were injured. India claimed Lashkar-e-Taiba was blamed for the ambush, which targeted a vehicle travelling without the security of the convoy.

Pahalgam Tourist Attack, 2025: Gunmen killed at least 26 people and injured a dozen others in the attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

India Today reported on April 23 that a preliminary probe revealed the attackers chose Pahalgam's Baisaran due to the absence of security forces, making rescue operations slow and casualties high.

A preliminary investigation into the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam revealed that it was meticulously planned to trap victims and maximise casualties, the Indian news outlet cited "top sources" as saying on Wednesday.

 A Pilgrimage of Resilience

Despite the persistent threat, the Yatra continues each year with undiminished devotion. Enhanced security measures have been put in place, including armed convoys, surveillance drones, and RFID tracking for pilgrims. 

Local Muslim communities have also played a vital role in supporting the Yatra, often risking their lives to protect pilgrims.

The India–Pakistan conflict over Kashmir dates back to 1947 when British India was partitioned into the two independent nations of India and Pakistan. At the time, princely states could choose to join either country. 

The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, a Hindu ruler of a Muslim-majority state, chose to accede to India after tribal militias from Pakistan invaded, sparking the First Indo-Pak War (1947–48).

This led to the division of Kashmir into two parts: Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (and Gilgit-Baltistan). A UN-mediated ceasefire created the Line of Control (LoC), which still acts as the de facto border.

Since then, India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir—in 1947, 1965, and during the Kargil conflict in 1999. Pakistan claims that Kashmir should have joined Pakistan due to its Muslim majority, while India maintains it is an integral part of its sovereign territory, based on the Maharaja's legal accession.

Over the years, the region has seen armed insurgencies, cross-border terrorism, and heavy militarisation. India accuses Pakistan of supporting terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, while Pakistan calls for international mediation and a plebiscite, as originally suggested by the UN.

In 2019, India revoked Article 370, ending Jammu and Kashmir's special autonomous status, which further worsened relations. Despite intermittent ceasefires, the Kashmir issue remains one of the most dangerous flashpoints in South Asia, with both countries possessing nuclear weapons.