Shimla, April 23 (PTI) Without naming Pakistan, Himachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil (retd) on Wednesday said the Pahalgam terror attack was a well-planned conspiracy backed by “regular army” to ensure that tourism does not flourish in Jammu and Kashmir and people feel scared.

Referring to the horrific incident in which 26 people were killed in a terrorist attack on tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, he said, “I broke down when I heard that tourists who had gone there to spend time were killed and the people were killed after asking names.” “It is a well-planned conspiracy with the backing of the regular army to ensure that tourism does not flourish in Jammu and Kashmir, the economy does not improve and people feel scared,” he told the PTI.

“Definitely, it is an intelligence failure on our side, even if we do not know from where the terrorists are infiltrating,” Shandil, who had earlier served in Jammu and Kashmir, said.

He said “children who who were not at fault were killed” and such insurgency and activity has been seen for the first time.

“They played with lives as if they (deceased tourists) were toys as the terrorists were firing at them,” he said.

Principal Adviser to the chief minister, Naresh Chauhan, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has issued directions to the home secretary to keep security agencies on alert.

He said terrorism has no religion and added that lapse on the part of the security and agencies is a cause of concern. PTI BPL KSS KSS