At least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir`s Anantnag district on Tuesday, sources said, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike.

The attack took place at Baisaran, a meadow accessible only by foot or ponies, where a group of tourists had gone visiting this morning. According to PTI, tourists gathered at Baisaran were from several states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister Amti Shah and asked him to take "suitable measures". Later in the day, Mr Shah reached Srinagar to take stock of the situation. Mr Modi, who reached Saudi Arabia earlier in the day for a two-day visit, cut short his trip and is scheduled to return early on Wednesday, sources said.