J&K Security at Full Alert on Anniversary Eve: Multi-Layer Grid at Tourist Spots, Shrines and Vital Installations Across Union Territory

Kashmir Thunder and Business Standard reported on April 21, 2026 that Jammu and Kashmir authorities had fully deployed a multi-layer security grid across the Union Territory on the eve of the Pahalgam massacre's first anniversary. Security operations on April 21 covered all tourist destinations, religious shrines, vital installations, and approach roads across J&K. At Pahalgam specifically, multi-layered deployments encompassed the Baisaran-area access roads (with the meadow itself remaining sealed), vehicle screenings at entry points, additional CRPF and police checkpoints, drone surveillance corridors, and quick reaction teams positioned throughout the valley. All senior officers held in-person preparatory meetings to finalize the comprehensive security plan for the anniversary date. The QR code-based identification and verification system for registered Pahalgam tourism service providers — pony operators, hawkers, vendors, and business establishments — remained fully operational, enabling tourists to scan a provider's code and verify their credentials and police clearance. Indian Army and CRPF sources said approximately 46 militants had been killed across J&K since the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam massacre, including three of the direct attackers tracked and eliminated in Operation Mahadev. Tourists were described as returning to Pahalgam valley in confidence, though Baisaran meadow — the actual massacre site — remained closed pending ongoing security assessment. The J&K government characterized the anniversary security posture as a demonstration of the state's capacity to protect civilians and restore normalcy in the region.