A tourist unknowingly captured one of India’s deadliest recent terror attacks while enjoying a zip-line ride in Kashmir — smiling into his camera just moments before bullets began to fly below.
Rishi Bhatt - a tourist from Ahmedabad, Gujarat - was vacationing in Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam with his wife and son when chaos erupted on Tuesday, April 22.
As he descended the zip-line with a selfie stick in hand, gunfire rang out in the distance. By the end of the assault, 26 people were dead and dozens more wounded.
Bhatt’s seemingly innocent video - which shows him wearing a blue checked shirt, sunglasses, and a safety helmet - has since gone viral, as he unknowling smiled as horror unfolded just meters beneath him.
Midway through the 53-second clip, gunshots are heard in the background as panicked tourists scramble for cover on the ground. Toward the end of the video, as Bhatt nears the base of the zip-line, one tourist appears to collapse after being struck by a bullet.
“I saw 5-6 people getting shot,” Bhatt later told The New Indian Express. “I unlatched my belt and jumped down, took my wife and son and started running away. We saw people hiding at a spot which was like a pit, so you could not spot someone easily there. We too hid there.”
According to Bhatt, the gunfire lasted for 8 to 10 minutes, followed by a brief pause — before erupting again. “The firing started again, and 4-5 people were shot. 15-16 tourists were shot in front of us,” he said.
“When we reached the gate, we saw that the local public had already left. They gave cover to all the tourists within 18-20 minutes...We felt safe once the Army gave us cover...I am grateful to the Indian Army.”
Bhatt also recounted a horrific detail from the chaos. “I found out that men in two families ahead of us were asked their religion and shot in front of my wife and son. My wife and son were screaming," he tragically recalled.
The attack occurred in Baisaran, an alpine meadow often referred to as “mini Switzerland” due to its sweeping views and lush landscape.
The carnage unfolded as U.S. Vice President JD Vance was visiting the region on a four-day family trip - although, his presence is said to be unrelated to the assault.
Indian authorities have called the mass shooting a “terror attack” and blamed militants fighting against Indian control of the Kashmir region, the News.com.au reports. At least four gunmen were seen firing at tourists from close range, according to police and AP reports.
The Resistance Front - a militant group believed to be affiliated with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba - has claimed responsibility, the New York Post reports. India has pointed the finger directly at Pakistan for supporting the militants — an accusation Pakistan has denied.
The incident prompted a swift political response. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” said Omar Abdullah, the region’s top elected official. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism.”
Indian police have since detained around 500 people for questioning and conducted house and forest searches across the region, Reuters reported.
The devastating assault has deeply shaken the local community and the broader nation. One pony guide helped Bhatt and his family escape the area, as he told the ANI that there was no Army official at the main location.
Of the 26 killed, 25 were Indian nationals and one was from Nepal. Most were tourists, targeted in what has become one of the bloodiest civilian attacks in the region in recent memory.
Following the massacre, India responded by downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan and revoking visa services for Pakistani citizens. In retaliation, Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian aircraft and warned that any attempt by India to divert shared water resources would be seen as an “act of war.”
Photos from the aftermath show empty chairs at food stalls, wounded victims being treated at hospitals, and security personnel scouring the area for suspects.
Our thoughts once again go out to every person impacted by this tragedy.