Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned visit to Jammu and Kashmir on April 19, intelligence agencies had warned of a possible attack targeting tourists in the region. Security was heightened across Srinagar's tourist hotspots, but the PM's visit was cancelled due to bad weather.

On April 22, terrorists struck 90 km away in Pahalgam, killing 26 people- 25 of them Hindu tourists. While the alert was accurate in predicting a tourist-targeted attack, it failed to pinpoint the location. Officials admitted that no specific mention of Pahalgam appeared in the intelligence inputs.

The attackers, including two local and two foreign terrorists, ambushed tourists in Baisaran meadow- a site with a single entry and exit, trapping victims. Security forces now believe the terrorists had been living in the region, and local intelligence failed to detect their presence. The lapse underscores ongoing vulnerabilities in counter-terror operations amid rising tensions in the sensitive Kashmir valley.