Scores of tourists returned safely to Mumbai on April 24 after a terror attack in Kashmir claimed over two dozen lives, most of them from Maharashtra. The returning tourists were greeted with white roses and chocolates by local politicians at the Mumbai international airport. Passengers, visibly relieved, told mid-day they breathed easy only after boarding the special flights on Thursday.

In the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, 26 people were killed. Following the incident, the Indian government arranged special flights to evacuate stranded tourists, who were advised to remain indoors. Not all hotels were provided with armed security, adding to their anxiety. Most of the tourists were headed to Pahalgam from Srinagar, but while checking options for adventure activities, they came across news of the attack and quickly returned to their hotels. Videos and images of the scene spread rapidly on social media and WhatsApp.