Top News of the Day: Amit Shah reviews security situation at Pahalgam terror site; shutdown against terror attack in Kashmir valley, first time in 35 years, and more

Top news of the day from The Hindu: April 23, 2025

Two Kashmiri men are suspected to be among a group of around four to six armed terrorists who killed tourists at the Pahalgam meadow in Jammu and Kashmir, a Government source told The Hindu. As many as 26 people were killed in the terror attack targeted at male tourists, who were singled out based on their religion. Union Home Minister Amit Shah who rushed to Srinagar on Tuesday, met the families of victims at police headquarters on Wednesday. He later visited Baisaran, the scene of the terror attack in Pahalgam and took stock of the situation. Mr. Shah is likely to attend the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in Delhi in the evening.

The Army said that an infiltration bid was foiled in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. “On April 23, 2025, approximately 2-3 terrorists tried to infiltrate through the general area of Sarjeevan at Uri Nala, Baramulla, the alert troops on the Line of Control challenged and intercepted them, resulting in a firefight,” the Army said. The Army said that a heavy exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists, two terrorists have been eliminated, infiltration bid foiled by the security forces in the ongoing operation.

The landslide-hit Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened for one-way traffic after remaining closed for the last three days, while a special train has been launched from Katra to New Delhi to assist the stranded passengers to reach their destination, an official spokesperson said. The highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains and cloudbursts early on Sunday (April 20).

The World Bank lowered India’s growth forecast for the current fiscal by 4 percentage points to 6.3% amid global economic weakness and policy uncertainty. In its previous estimate, the World Bank had projected India’s growth at 6.7% for the fiscal year 2025-26. In India, growth in FY24/25 disappointed because of slower growth in private investment and public capital expenditures that did not meet government targets, the World Bank said in its twice-yearly regional outlook.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his family arrived in Agra on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) amid tight security to visit the iconic Taj Mahal. U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accorded a warm and ceremonial welcome to the Vice President at the Technical Airport of Agra Air Force Station. The administration made elaborate security arrangements for the visit with the 12-kilometre stretch from the airport to the Taj Mahal via Shilpgram was under heavy security cover.

Three tourists from West Bengal have been killed in the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. The deceased have been identified as Bitan Adhikari, who is a resident of Baishnabghata in Kolkata and Sameer Guha, a resident of Behala in the city and Manish Ranjan from Jhalda in State’s Purulia district. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that all arrangements are being put up by our administration at Delhi Airport to help the family members of the victims and their onward journey to Kolkata.

Amidst continuous visits of politicians and officials, a sense of silence has filled ‘Manjushree’, the house of Manjunath Rao at Vijaya Nagar in Shivamogga, Karnataka. Mr. Rao was killed in the terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. People gathered at the house were talking about when the mortal remains of Manjunath Rao would reach Shivamogga while his aged mother, Sumathi, struggles to digest the hard truth.