More than half of the tourist destinations in India’s insurgency-hit Kashmir region have been closed to the public starting Tuesday, as part of heightened security measures following last week's deadly attack on holiday-makers.
Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, the government of India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory has now closed 48 of the region’s 87 tourist sites and increased security at those that remain open. No timeline was provided for how long the closures will remain in place.
Meanwhile, cross-border tensions have also intensified. The Indian army said Tuesday it returned fire after “unprovoked” small arms shooting from several Pakistani posts around midnight—the fifth consecutive day of such incidents. No casualties were reported.
Pakistan’s military did not respond to a request for comment. However, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters on Monday that a military incursion by India was “imminent” and that Pakistan had reinforced its forces in preparation.
Notably, gunmen killed at least 26 people and injured a dozen others in the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
India has identified two of the three attackers as “terrorists” from Pakistan, accusing them of being part of a broader militant movement in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Pakistan has denied involvement and called for an independent investigation.