Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a 26-year-old officer of the Indian Navy, was among the 26 people killed in a terrorist attack targeting tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday. Lieutenant Narwal, who had been on leave after his marriage on April 16, was posted in Kochi and was a native of Haryana.

Defence officials confirmed the tragic news, stating: “One Indian Navy Officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (aged 26 years), who was posted in Kochi, has been killed in the Pahalgam attack while he was on leave. He is a native of Haryana and got married on 16 April.”

Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Kashmir's Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. Baisaran, a popular tourist destination, is known for its picturesque landscapes and dense pine forests.

The 26 dead included two foreigners and two locals. 

A joint search operation is currently underway in the Baisaran area, led by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Authorities have pledged to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.

“The search operation is currently in progress, with all efforts focused on bringing the attackers to justice,” said a spokesperson for the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army.

The attack, which comes as US Vice President J D Vance is visiting India and just as the tourist and trekking season is picking up momentum, took place around 3 pm, officials said.

Baisaran, about six kilometres from the resort town of Pahalgam, is an expansive meadow ringed by dense pine forests and mountains and a favourite with visitors from across the country and the world.

Armed terrorists came into the grassland, dubbed "mini Switzerland', and started firing at tourists milling around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking, officials and eyewitnesses said.  

(With inputs from PTI)