PM Modi discusses Pahalgam terror attack with top security committee; Home Minister Amit Shah meets injured in Anantnag

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday, a day after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Besides the prime minister, the Cabinet Committee on Security comprises Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The National Security Advisor, Cabinet Secretary, and Defence Secretary also attend the meetings.

Shah briefed the prime minister on the attack and discussed the measures to be taken in its aftermath. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could not attend the meeting as she is on her way back from the United States after cutting short her official visit in the wake of the terror attack, a PTI report said.

Among those also present at the meeting were Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misry, besides the prime minister's two principal secretaries P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, the report added.

The CCS discusses and debates defence policy, expenditure, and all matters of national security for India. It is the highest decision-making body for appointing heads of national security agencies, as well.

Amit Shah meets victims in Anantnag

Union Minister Amit Shah, after visiting the Baisaran valley where terrorists had opened indiscriminate fire at tourists, met the injured victims at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag on Wednesday.

Shah also paid tribute to the victims with a "heavy heart" during a poignant ceremony and met with the families of the victims outside the Police Control Room in Srinagar.

Taking to X, Amit Shah expressed the centre's firm resolve to combat terrorism, stating that “Bharat will not bend to terror.”

"With a heavy heart, paid last respects to the deceased of the Pahalgam terror attack. Bharat will not bend to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared," Shah stated.

Shah was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Rajnath Singh reviews security situation in J&K

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and chaired a high-level meeting with top officials, according to a PTI report.

The nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting was attended by NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, the report said, quoting sources.

The meeting discussed all possible aspects of the situation that emerged following the dastardly attack, the sources said declining to share further details.

It is learnt that Singh directed the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness and increase intensity of anti-terror operations.

In the meeting, Army Chief Gen Dwivedi presented a detailed overview of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir including deployment of his forces.

(With inputs from PTI)