Mumbai, Maharashtra (April 25, 2025): The Maharashtra government’s third special flight carrying 232 tourists stranded in Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack landed safely in Mumbai on Friday. This brings the total number of tourists who have returned to Maharashtra to around 800. Special buses have been arranged for tourists from Akola and Amravati for onward travel. Minister Ashish Shelar was present at the airport to receive the passengers.
The third flight follows two earlier rescue flights that brought back 184 tourists on Wednesday. In total, 416 tourists have returned to Maharashtra by air, while others have arrived through different transport means.
The state government has received requests from 60 to 70 tourists still in Kashmir. Arrangements are being made to bring them back safely.
The attack occurred on Tuesday at the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam. Terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. Several others were injured in what has been one of the deadliest attacks in Kashmir since the Pulwama bombing in 2019. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In retaliation, India has begun taking several strict measures against Pakistan. These include suspending the 1960 Indus Water Treaty and closing the Atari-Wagah border crossing. The government has also expelled Pakistani military officials from New Delhi and revoked visas of all Pakistani nationals.
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with all state Chief Ministers. He instructed them to identify all Pakistani nationals currently residing in their states. The list should be sent to the central government as soon as possible so their visas can be cancelled and they can be deported from India.