In the early hours of 2 August 2000, terrorists opened fire on over 95 people, although official figures claimed the death toll to be 89. The series of attacks, which began on the night of 1 August, were believed to be planned.

The terrorists, said to have been opposed to the local terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen’s ceasefire declaration, not only attacked the pilgrim base camp at Pahalgam, but later also attacked five other places in the Valley, killing at least 58 people, according to a report by The Tribune. A total of 32 people were killed in the base camp strike at Pahalgam, of which 21 were Amarnath yatris.