Pahalgam terror attack: Maharashtra arranges special flights to bring 183 tourists back

Devendra Fadnavis. File pic

In the wake of recent Pahalgam terror attack, the Maharashtra government has stepped in to ensure the safe return of its citizens. Acting swiftly on the directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, two special flights have been arranged to bring back a total of 183 tourists stranded in the region.

According to government officials, an Air India aircraft carrying 100 tourists from Maharashtra is scheduled to land in Mumbai this evening. Alongside this, an Indigo flight is expected to bring home an additional 83 individuals, marking a coordinated effort by the authorities to prioritise citizen safety. The list of passengers aboard the Air India flight has been attached for reference.

Union Minister Muralidhar Mohol has been actively involved in overseeing the operation and extending logistical support. His office has been working closely with both the Ministry of Civil Aviation and state officials to facilitate the swift movement of travellers.

The Maharashtra state government has decided to bear the entire cost of these special flights.

India on Wednesday announced a series of steps to give a strong message to Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism, stating that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance and the integrated checkpost at Attari will be closed with immediate effect.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed a special press conference after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and said Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC visa Exemption scheme.

The CCS meeting, which lasted over two hours, was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS), which met on Wednesday, was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed.

The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out.

The families of victims of the Pahalgam terror attack mourned the loss of their loved ones as they urged the government to take strong action against the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The attack, carried out by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, is one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The attack was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.