Delhi, Mumbai on high alert after deadly Pahalgam terror attack kills 26

Security has been beefed up in the national capital following the gruesome terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday, officials said.

Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists, in what appears to be the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

Delhi Police has ramped up security across the city, focusing particularly on the tourist hotspots and border checkpoints, officials said, confirming that checking and surveillance have been intensified.

They said traffic movement has also been regulated in the sensitive zones.

Other major Indian cities including Mumbai, Jaipur, and Amritsar have been placed on high alert, with heightened security measures and intensified surveillance.

Mumbai Police responded swiftly, deploying roadblocks or “nakabandis” across key locations such as railway stations, markets, and densely populated areas. Top officers have been instructed to stay on high alert.

“All senior Police Inspectors (SPIs) and Zonal Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) are instructed to remain more alert and vigilant in their jurisdictions,” an official told PTI, adding that nakabandis are being carried out at multiple points across the city.

The incident has reignited painful memories of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where coordinated strikes by Pakistani terrorists left 166 people dead during a 60-hour siege.

In Rajasthan, the police issued a statewide alert and stepped up patrols in areas with high tourist footfall, including Jaipur Junction and Amer Fort. Tourists and locals are being closely monitored.

Amritsar has seen a surge in security presence, particularly around the Golden Temple and the Indo-Pak border, as Punjab Police move to secure the sensitive region. In Uttar Pradesh, police have intensified patrolling in religious towns and crowded marketplaces.

Security has also been enhanced at coastal installations and international airports. Intelligence agencies across states have been placed on high alert, with inter-agency coordination stepped up to prevent any further incidents.

The alert coincides with the ongoing visit of US Vice President J D Vance for which security has already been strengthened in Delhi and other cities.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the toll was still being ascertained as he described the attack as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years".