The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has quizzed the zipline operator who chanted “Allah-o-Akbar” thrice just before terrorists opened fire and killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows on 22 April. Meanwhile, the passenger traffic at Srinagar Airport began to decline strikingly from 23 April, a day after the terror attack.

The operator chanting “Allah-o-Akbar” was recorded in the video that the Gujarat tourist, Rishi Bhatt, was shooting to capture his zipline experience. Bhatt said that he heard gunfire shortly after the operator’s chant.

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A NIA team led by an Inspector General is camping at the attack spot and examining eyewitnesses and searching for evidence.

Speaking to media persons in Ahmedabad, Bhatt recounted his suspicion about the zipline operator’s behaviour. “Nine people zipped before me, and the operator did not say anything. When my turn came, he shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ three times, and then the firing started. I have my doubts about that man. He looked like a local Kashmiri,” Bhatt said.

Describing how the situation unfolded, Bhatt said, “Firing started when I was ziplining. After about 20 seconds, I realised it was a terrorist attack. I saw 5-6 people being shot”. He said he immediately unlatched himself from the zipline, grabbed his wife and son, and fled. “We found a pit-like spot where people were hiding and took shelter there”, he recalled.

Bhatt said the initial burst of firing lasted 8 to 10 minutes, paused briefly, and then resumed. “In the second round of firing, 4 to 5 more people were shot. We saw 15–16 people being shot in total,” he added.

Meanwhile, 48 public parks and gardens located in vulnerable areas of Kashmir valley have been shut as a precautionary measure in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, officials said on Tuesday.

Gates have been closed at 48 of the 87 public parks and gardens in Kashmir, given the threat perception to tourists, they said. The officials said the security review was an ongoing process, and more locations may be added to the list in the coming days.

They said the tourist locations which have been closed are in far-flung areas of Kashmir and include some of the new destinations thrown open over the past 10 years. Some of the destinations which have been closed are Yousmarg, Tousimaidan, Doodpathri, Aharbal, Kousarnag, Bangus, Kariwan Diver Chandigam, Bangus Valley, Wular-Watlab, Rampora, Rajpora and Chearhar.

Other tourist spots have been placed under heightened security. The tourist arrival in the valley, which was spiralling day by day, has suddenly declined after the terror incident. Those connected with the tourist trade are keeping their fingers crossed on the revival of the tourist rush.

Srinagar has witnessed a large flow of outward passenger traffic as compared to arrivals. A day after the attack, on 23 April, of the 17,653 passengers travelling through 112 flights, 11,092 departed from the valley.

The scenario remained the same on 24 April when the airport handled 15,836 passengers on 118 flights, including 11,380 departures and 4,456 arrivals.

As many as 10,164 passengers boarded outbound flights on 26 April against 4,619 arrivals in 106 flights. Besides, only 28 passengers arrived at Srinagar airport in 3 additional flights, whereas 351 passengers boarded these flights on their return journey from Srinagar.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway is not yet fully restored for traffic after witnessing large-scale damage due to flash floods triggered by a cloudburst.