For the first time in years, Kashmir Valley observed a complete shutdown, with markets, schools, and public offices closed across Srinagar and other districts, in a rare show of public outrage following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

Tuesday's bloodshed in Pahalgam - where at least 26 tourists were killed in a hail of gunfire - marks the deadliest militant attack in Kashmir since 2019.The victims weren't soldiers or officials, but civilians on holiday in one of India's most picturesque valleys.

The nuclear-armed rivals, which both claim Kashmir and administer separate parts of it, are at a dangerous crossroad after Tuesday’s militant attack, analysts said.