Indian troops fanned out across forested hillsides in Kashmir on Wednesday, hunting the gunmen who mowed down 26 sightseers in the region’s deadliest civilian massacre in a quarter‑century.

Police‑verified hospital lists showed 26 men killed after assailants burst from woodland near a popular tourist lookout on Tuesday afternoon and sprayed visitors with automatic fire.

Helicopters hovered over the Pir Panjal range as ground units sealed villages and combed dense pine forests for the attackers.

Ambulance convoys delivered many of the bodies to Srinagar’s main morgue before dawn. Authorities said 25 victims were Indian nationals from multiple states, while one was from neighbouring Nepal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed home early from an official visit to Saudi Arabia, condemning the strike as a “heinous act.” “Those responsible will be brought to justice,” he vowed in a statement.

No group had claimed responsibility by late Wednesday, but security officials described the assault as meticulously planned and warned of possible follow-off attacks as the summer tourist season approaches.

AFP