Black Marble Memorial Unveiled on Lidder Riverbank for 26 Pahalgam Attack Victims on First Anniversary

A permanent memorial was unveiled in Pahalgam on April 22, 2026, to honor the 26 victims of the 2025 terror attack — 25 tourists and local pony handler Adil Shah. Built of black marble along the banks of the Lidder River, the structure carries the engraved names of all 26 people killed in the Baisaran meadow massacre on April 22, 2025. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the memorial ceremony and laid a wreath. The memorial stands as a tribute to the victims at the same hill resort where their lives were cut short by Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked Resistance Front militants. Pahalgam itself was described as witnessing a broad revival of tourist activity one year on — many visitors refusing to let the fear of terror define their travel choices — though the Baisaran meadow itself remained closed pending a full security and access review. News organizations noted that the memorial's construction, endorsed by the J&K government, was completed on schedule to coincide with the anniversary date. Security forces deployed around the memorial and across Pahalgam valley included Army, CRPF, BSF, and J&K Police under unified command — the same posture maintained since April 20 as part of the anniversary security grid.