Comparative and Qualitative Analysis of the 2025 Pahalgam and 2024 Reasi Attack: Narratives, Targets, And State Responses

Abstract

The present research paper is a comprehensive comparative and qualitative analysis of two major terrorist strikes on tourists and pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir: the Reasi terrorist attack in June 2024 and the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. The study has analyzed the chronology of the incidents, target selection, nature of casualties, characteristics of the attackers, government response, media portrayal, and the security system response in the tow terrorist strikes through the analysis of newspaper reports, internet sources, police reports, social media content, and literature on the subject. This analysis has revealed several patterns in the terrorist strikes, including the selection of soft civilian targets in the peak tourist season and the sectarian nature of the victims. The areas of security need, as identified by the study, include the need to improve the tracking of vehicles, the need to improve the real-time monitoring of tourist routes, and the need to improve the dissemination of intelligence. The narratives of the media in both cases focused on the theme of national unity, as well as the creation of polarizing discourses around the issue of terrorism. The paper ends with recommendations, which are informed by evidence, to improve the use of GPS to track tourist vehicles, to improve the use of drones to monitor the roads, and to improve the dissemination of intelligence. These findings add to the understanding of the patterns of terrorism in conflict areas, which can be used to inform policy on thesecurity of tourists and pilgrims in such areas.

Introduction

The paper examines the terrorism-related security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), focusing on two major attacks (Reasi 2024 and Pahalgam 2025) that targeted pilgrims and tourists, causing significant loss of life and exposing persistent security vulnerabilities in the region.

It highlights that terrorism in J&K is driven by long-standing political conflict, ideological radicalization, and cross-border influences, with attackers deliberately targeting soft civilian targets like tourists to maximize psychological, economic, and media impact. These attacks aim to disrupt the region’s tourism-dependent economy and challenge claims of normalcy after the revocation of Article 370.

The study adopts a qualitative comparative approach using news reports, official documents, and academic sources to analyze attack patterns, government responses, and security failures.

Key findings from case studies:

• Reasi attack (2024): Targeted Hindu pilgrims, killing 9 people; aimed to create communal tension and disrupt religious tourism.
• Pahalgam attack (2025): More severe, killing 26 civilians; involved forced religious identification of victims and was followed by misinformation campaigns using AI deepfakes and social media propaganda.

Comparative analysis shows:

• Both attacks targeted soft, religiously identified civilian groups.
• Timing was strategic, aligned with political events or peak tourism seasons.
• There was an escalation in violence and complexity from 2024 to 2025.
• Security systems showed weaknesses in intelligence, surveillance, and rapid response.

Additional insights:

• Media and information warfare play a major role in shaping public perception, including fake narratives and deepfake-based propaganda.
• Government responses included investigations, border measures, diplomatic actions, and social media bans, but were largely reactive rather than preventive.
• The attacks caused severe economic damage to tourism, including reduced hotel bookings, decline in pilgrimage participation, and losses for local businesses.

Recommendations:

The paper suggests strengthening security through:

• Technology (GPS tracking, drones, AI surveillance, mobile safety apps)
• Better intelligence coordination between agencies
• Rapid response units for high-risk zones
• Community reporting systems
• Strong counter-misinformation and anti-deepfake mechanisms

Conclusion

The relative qualitative analysis of the Reasi and Pahalgam attacks highlights the evolving and patient trouble to mercenary safety in Jammu and Kashmir. These incidents demonstrate a clear modus operandi targeting soft, insular-linked mercenary groups at strategically significant times to maximize cerebral and profitable damage. The failure to descry these attacks, combined with the emergence of AI-driven information warfare, necessitates a abecedarian shift in the security paradigm. While the government has demonstrated significant political resoluteness through politic and military measures, the politic protection of excursionists remains shy. The shift from reactive to visionary security—using GPS technology, drone surveillance, and community-grounded intelligence—is imperative. likewise, the public grief expressed by Kashmiris following the Pahalgam attack offers a unique occasion for the state to alienate zealots from the original crowd by prioritizing the safety and profitable well-being of all citizens. Only through a sustained, technology-driven, and community-inclusive security policy can the region hope to cover its most vulnerable callers and save its vital tourism assiduity.

References

[1] Anubha, et al. \"A Terrorism-Inflicted Causality in Kashmir: Perspectives From Travel Agencies and Tour Operators.\" 2021. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-6996-2.CH008 [2] Singh, et al. \"International Media Narratives on the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack and Emerging India-Pakistan Tensions: A Discourse Analysis.\" [3] \"Over 300 Days After Reasi Bus Attack, Tourists Killed In Pahalgam | A Look Back.\" Outlook India, 23 April 2025. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/pahalgam-terror-attack-killed-at-least-26-tourists-when-was-the-last-terror-attack-on-tourists [4] MacRae, Penelope. \"The domestic pressures shaping India\'s response to Kashmir attacks.\" The Guardian, 25 April 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/25/domestic-pressures-shaping-india-response-kashmir-attacks-narendra-modi [5] Marks, Thomas A. \"India: State Response to Insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir – The Jammu Case.\" Low Intensity Conflict & Law Enforcement, 2004. DOI: 10.1080/09662840500072615 [6] Awasthi, Soumya. \"Weaponising the Narrative: Social Media Propaganda post-Pahalgam Attack.\" Observer Research Foundation, 13 May 2025. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/weaponising-the-narrative-social-media-propaganda-post-pahalgam-attack [7] ?????????, et al. \"????? ????????????? ??????? ?? ?????????? ??????.\" 2023. DOI: 10.32782/2708-0366/2023.18.4 [8] Dory. \"Tourisme et terrorisme international : une approche cartographique.\" 2021. DOI: 10.4000/VIATOURISM.7223 [9] Swami, Praveen. \"Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in theory and practice.\" India Review, 2003. DOI: 10.1080/14736480412331307082 [10] Tantray, et al. \"Radicalisation in Jammu and Kashmir: a theoretical and empirical appraisal of internal and external dynamics.\" The Round Table, 2025. DOI: 10.1080/00358533.2025.2561106 [11] Singh. \"Terrorism and tourism.\" 2013. [12] \"Impact of armed conflict on tourism in kashmir.\" Multidiciplinary Output Research, 2022. DOI: 10.54443/morfai.v2i2.307 [13] Marks, Thomas A. \"India: State Response to Insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir – The Jammu Case.\" Low Intensity Conflict & Law Enforcement, 2004. DOI: 10.1080/09662840500072615 [14] Rabasa, et al. \"Money in the Bank -- Lessons Learned from Past Counterinsurgency (COIN) Operations.\" RAND, 2007. [15] Thakur, et al. \"Terrorism as a Media Specific Event: Performative Frames of Uri and Pulwama Reportage.\" Media Watch, 2020. DOI: 10.15655/MW/2020/V11I1/49763 [16] Shah. \"Editorial Treatment of the Pulwama Attack in Indo-Pak Press.\" Journal of Development and Social Sciences, 2022. DOI: 10.47205/jdss.2022(3-i)03 [17] Khan, et al. \"Pulwama Attack: A Content Analysis of Media Framing.\" Bahria University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2023. DOI: 10.58800/bujhss.v6i2.200 [18] Otte. \"Terrorism and Tourism: Still Connecting the Dots.\" 2023. DOI: 10.1108/978-1-80382-811-420231005 [19] Chowdhury, et al. \"Terrorism, tourism and religious travellers.\" International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2017. DOI: 10.21427/D7BD8G [20] Islam. \"Impact of Armed Conflict on Economy and Tourism: A Study of State of Jammu and Kashmir.\" IOSR Journal of Economics and Finance, 2014. DOI: 10.9790/5933-0465560

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Hitesh CS, Nagasshree MN. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.