New Delhi [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday, shortly after cutting short his diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The CCS meeting, convened just a day after the heinous attack on innocent tourists, was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the attack and assured the nation of the government’s firm response.
“I want to repeat India’s resolve against terrorism. We have a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism… I want to assure the countrymen that the government will take every necessary step. We will not only reach the perpetrators of this act but also the actors behind the scenes… The accused will soon see a loud and clear response, I want to assure the country,” he stated.
“We lost many innocent lives in the cowardly act in Pahalgam. We are deeply distressed. I express my condolences to the families who lost their loved ones…,” he added.
Rajnath Singh later convened a separate meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Air Force Chief Marshal AP Singh, and other senior officials to further assess the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The meeting discussed all issues related to the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” a source told ANI.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had earlier chaired a security review meeting in Srinagar, visited Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, the site of the brutal attack.
In support of the ongoing investigation, a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also arrived at the attack site to assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police in probing the terror incident.
Security forces have since launched extensive search operations to locate and neutralize the terrorists involved. Precautionary security measures have also been intensified across the region to prevent further violence.