Karnataka Governor pays last respects to Pahalgam terror attack victim in Bengaluru

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 24 (ANI): Governor of Karnataka, Thaawarchand Gehlot, on Thursday visited the residence of Pahalgam terror attack victim Bharat Bhushan in Mattikere, Bengaluru and paid his final respects.

The Governor offered his condolences and words of solace to the grieving family, expressing solidarity during their time of immense loss. He also interacted with family members to understand the details surrounding the incident.

In a statement following his visit, Governor Gehlot strongly condemned the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam and emphasised that the Government of India is treating the incident with utmost seriousness.
"Such heinous acts must not be tolerated. I am confident that India will give a fitting response to those responsible for this cowardly act," said the Karnataka Governor.
"The Indian government will not let this tragedy go unanswered," the Governor affirmed.
Governor Gehlot lauded the proactive efforts of the Karnataka state government in facilitating the safe return of tourists stranded in Jammu and Kashmir, calling the swift rescue operations "commendable and deeply appreciated."
The Karnataka cabinet passed a resolution against the Pahalgam terror attack during their meeting in Chamarajanagar on Thursday. The information was given by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah while he was speaking to the reporters.
Siddaramaiah expressed his solidarity with the government of India and said that there is a failure of intelligence in the Union Government."A resolution condemning the incident has been passed in the cabinet meeting, and we also expressed our solidarity with the government of India. There is a failure of intelligence in the central government", Siddaramaiah told reporters.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that they stand with the Union Government because the integrity of the nation is of utmost importance. He stated that some people are trying to politicise the issue which should not be done and peace should be maintained.
"We stand by the government because the nation's integrity is very important. Some of them are trying to politicise...We should all maintain peace and no one should politicise this...", DKS said.
Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured, in one of the deadliest attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.
In the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari Check Post.
India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week. The country further decided to cancel any visas provided under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistan to leave the country within 48 hours.
The Government of India has also decided to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will stand revoked, effective from 27 April 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release.
After the Indian government shut the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Police Protocol Officer Arun Mahal confirmed that while the iconic gates remained shut, ceremonies were conducted separately on either side of the border.
Speaking to ANI, Mahal mentioned that 28 Pakistani nationals returned home, while 105 Indian citizens crossed back into India.
"The government of India has taken very strict decisions. The gates at the Attari-Wagah integrated check post were not opened, and the parade was done in the respective areas. A total of 28 Pakistani nationals left for Pakistan from the Attari border, and 105 Indian nationals have returned from Pakistan. There has been an impact on the number of tourists," the officer said. (ANI)