Pahalgam attacks: Kashmiri locals demand peace, developments over war and conflicts

In videos that went viral on social media platforms, the locals were seen expressing their grief and collectively rejecting the violence and accusations against them.

Hyderabad: Immediately after the Pahalgam attack, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a show of unity and resilience, as locals stood in solidarity with the victims. Front pages of major newspapers in the State were printed in black as a mark of protest while the entire region was shut observing a black day in order to seek justice for the victims.

In videos that went viral on social media platforms, the locals were seen expressing their grief and collectively rejecting the violence and accusations against them. They criticized the attempts by a section of the media and a narrative that tried to unfairly blame the locals, accusing them of links with acts of terrorism.

In one of the videos that are now going viral, the locals were heard saying: “The attackers have no religion and lack humanity. We too want peace and development.” In another video, a local was seen asserting that the people of Pahalgam too were Indians who were hurt by the incident.

“We strongly condemn the accusations of colluding with the terrorists. We are Indians,” he said.

The locals also vocally blamed the security lapses and absence of adequate checkpoints and police personnel in tourist-heavy areas as a major reason behind the attack.