Congress MP Shashi Tharoor appeared to dismiss the criticisms of the government intelligence service over the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir last week, saying that no country had a foolproof intelligence service.

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said: "No country can ever have a foolproof 100 per cent intelligence. We will never know about the various terror attacks that were successfully thwarted."

"We only get to know about the ones that we failed to thwart," he said.

"There were failures, I agree, but that should not be our main focus right now," he said.

Referring to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Tharoor said: "We have got the example of Israel, the world's best intelligence services according to everybody, which were taken by surprise on October 7, just two years ago."

"It seems to me, just as Israel is waiting till the end of the war before they demand accountability, similarly, I think we too should see the present crisis through and then demand accountability from the government," he said.

Baisaran massacre

On the afternoon of April 22, around 1:50 PM, attackers led by Thoker emerged from Baisaran's pine forests and opened fire on tourists.

Survivors said the gunmen asked some victims about their religion and demanded they recite Islamic verses. Those who failed or hesitated were shot in the head.

Security officials said at least five terrorists split into smaller groups and attacked three zones in the meadow.

Lasting under ten minutes, the assault left 26 dead, including 25 tourists and a local pony operator.

Two security personnel — from the Navy and the Intelligence Bureau — were also killed.

Modi vows to hunt and punish terrorists

Thundering from the land of Bihar on April 24, two days after the scenic Baisaran meadows witnessed the massacre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned the terrorists responsible for the attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, and their supporters, with "unimaginable consequences".

Speaking at a rally in Madhubani, Modi declared, "From the soil of Bihar, I want to tell the entire world — India will hunt down every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth and ensure they are punished. No act of terror can shake India's spirit. Terrorism will not go unpunished." He also assured that "every effort will be made to deliver justice," noting that the entire nation is mourning the brutal killings.