A group of three Kerala High Court judges and four state legislators narrowly escaped a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, including a Malayali tourist from Ernakulam.

The judges—Justices Anil K. Narendran, P.G. Ajithkumar, and G. Girish—along with MLAs M. Mukesh, K.P.A. Majeed, T. Siddique, and K. Ansalan, were confirmed safe by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stated they were in Srinagar at the time of the attack and unharmed. The judges, on a personal vacation with their families, were expected to return to Kerala by April 23, though conflicting reports suggested a possible delay to April 24.

The MLAs were part of a legislative delegation visiting Kashmir for an official Assurance Committee meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Kalpetta MLA T. Siddique clarified that their team arrived in Srinagar at 5:20 PM on the day of the attack, after the incident occurred at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam around 1:30 PM[*]. The assault, executed by six militants in military attire, involved verifying victims’ religious identities before shooting them at close range, marking the deadliest attack in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike.

State Response And Victim Support

Kerala’s government activated emergency measures to assist affected Malayalis, including N. Ramachandran, the Ernakulam native killed while vacationing with his family. CM Vijayan termed his death “extremely painful” and assured his family’s safe return.

NORKA Roots, the state’s diaspora agency, launched a 24/7 help desk (toll-free: 18004253939) to coordinate assistance, gather stranded individuals’ details, and liaise with local authorities. Kerala House in New Delhi was also directed to provide logistical support to returnees[^].

National Condemnation And Security Measures

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah condemned the attack, vowing to bring perpetrators to justice. Security forces intensified search operations in Pahalgam, with the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps confirming a high-priority manhunt. The incident has reignited concerns about terrorism in Kashmir, particularly targeting tourists, amid heightened scrutiny of intelligence and security protocols.

PS: Specific details about the MLAs’ itinerary and Kerala House’s role were sourced from the user-provided input, as corroborated by contextual reports of the delegation’s purpose.

IT News