Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said that those responsible for the "cowardly" attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam will not be spared. At least 26 persons -- mostly tourists -- were killed by terrorists on Tuesday at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam in one of the worst terror attacks on civilians in Kashmir in the past many years.

"We strongly condemn the cowardly and planned attack on tourists. Those who have committed this act will not be spared, and strict action will be taken against them," Saini told reporters in Gurugram, asserting that the Centre's resolve to fight against terror is firm. The Chief Minister said that the nation stands united in these challenging times. He described the incident as a cowardly act that claimed the lives of innocent people. He said that the sacrifice of the people will always be remembered and assured their families of the government's support.

The Chief Minister also spoke with the family of Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who lost his life in the Pahalgam attack. He offered his condolences and reassured them that the Haryana government stands firmly with them in their time of grief. It should be mentioned here that Karnal resident Narwal, 26, was among the victims of Tuesday’s terrorist attack. He was looking forward to celebrating his 27th birthday on May 1, for which his family had planned a grand event. Narwal, who was on a honeymoon trip with his wife Himanshi, was allegedly shot dead in front of her. His mortal remains will reach his native place in Karnal, where the family will perform his last rites.

Paying tribute to Lt Narwal, the Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda strongly condemned this terrorist attack and said that the guilty should not be spared, as he called for a decisive strike against terrorism. There is anger in the whole country due to this cowardly act of terrorists and the whole country is united against terrorism. The country demands from the government that the culprits should not be spared under any circumstances and said there should be a decisive attack against terrorism and a strong message should be given to the enemies of the country. Hooda said the cowardice and barbarity shown by the beasts who targeted innocent tourists in Pahalgam is intolerable. “Until those cowards and their masters are brought to justice, the victim families will not get justice,” he said.

Condemning the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij said, “I want to state that this is Narendra Modi's India. Where, when, and how the response will come, I don’t know—but I do know that they will receive such a strong reply that they will never dare to do something like this again, and even those who send them will hesitate to think about it.”

Martyr Siddharth's sacrifice will forever inspire youth to serve the Nation

The Chief Minister also visited the residence of Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav in Rewari to express his condolences following the officer's sacrifice. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and assured the grieving family of all possible support from the Haryana Government. Saini said that the entire nation stands proud of the selfless sacrifice made by this courageous son of Mother India. He paid tribute to Flight Lieutenant Siddharth, acknowledging his bravery and dedication to the nation. His sacrifice will continue to inspire future generations to serve their country. At such a young age, Siddharth achieved new heights in the sky, and even in his final moments, he ensured the safety of hundreds of innocent by diverting the aircraft away from populated areas.

It is noteworthy that on April 2, Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav's Jaguar aircraft crashed in the fields of Suvarda village, approximately 12 km from the city, after taking off during a training sortie in Jamnagar, Gujarat. His fellow Manoj Kumar was also aboard during the practice session. Realizing the imminent danger, Siddharth directed Manoj to eject from the plane and skillfully maneuvered it away from populated areas, ultimately sacrificing his life in the crash to prevent greater loss of life and property.