Kharge Alleges PM Modi Had Intel 3 Day Before on J&K Terror Attack, Cancelled His Kashmir Visit
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi received prior intelligence about a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir and cancelled his Kashmir visit accordingly.
Addressing the media, Kharge claimed that PM Modi was warned about a potential terror strike three days before the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
“There is an intelligence failure, the government has accepted it. If they knew, why were better arrangements not made?” Kharge said, citing a newspaper report that suggested the intel prompted the cancellation of the Prime Minister’s visit to the region.
As per a report by PTI, intelligence agencies had flagged the possibility of an attack targeting tourists, particularly in areas surrounding Srinagar, including the Zabarwan foothills. These alerts reportedly came in the days leading up to PM Modi’s scheduled visit to flag off a train from Katra to Srinagar.
The visit, initially planned for April 19, was later cancelled, officially due to adverse weather conditions, including warnings of high-speed winds in the Katra region.
During a closed-door all-party meeting held on April 24, the Centre reportedly acknowledged a lapse in local-level security arrangements. Sources revealed that local authorities opened the Baisaran tourist zone — typically off-limits until the Amarnath Yatra — without informing security agencies.
This decision, the government admitted, may have compromised security, making the region vulnerable to the attack carried out by militants who opened fire on civilians in Pahalgam.
Kharge’s remarks add to the growing criticism over the government’s handling of the attack. He questioned the rationale behind not taking preventive measures despite actionable intelligence being available.
“Our question is, when you had prior knowledge, why didn’t you act? Why weren’t the tourists protected?” Kharge asked.
Meanwhile, PM Modi has convened multiple high-level meetings with top defence and intelligence officials to evaluate response strategies and prevent further attacks.
Security agencies have been directed to reassess the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in tourist-heavy regions and bolster intelligence sharing between local and central bodies.
