The Indian community in Italy has voiced strong condemnation and deep sorrow following the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, which left 26 Hindu male tourists dead. The massacre, allegedly carried out by the terrorist group The Resistance Front (TRF)—an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba—has ignited a wave of grief and protest across the Indian diaspora in Europe.
In response, the Indian diaspora in Rome organized a peaceful demonstration held at Piazza Santi Apostoli, one of the city’s prominent public squares, to mourn the victims and protest the broader threat of terrorism. The gathering was not only a moment of collective grief but also an emphatic call for justice and international attention to the persistent threat of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan that continues to destabilize the Indian subcontinent.
‘We strongly condemn the cowardly act committed by terrorists in Pahalgam, where innocent civilians were killed’, said Man Mohan Singh (Monu Barana), a businessman from Karnal, Haryana, and long-time resident of Terracina. ‘This attack specifically targeted Hindu pilgrims and tourists. The fact that terrorists ensured their victims were non-Muslim before killing them makes this even more chilling. We demand that the Indian government act firmly and that the perpetrators be brought to justice without delay’, he added.
The Indian community in Italy, particularly in Rome, has been vocal in expressing its concerns not only over the tragic loss of innocent lives but also about the increasing pattern of extremist violence believed to originate from Pakistan-based terrorist networks. Community leaders fear that the recent attack is part of a broader escalation aimed at undermining peace and pluralism in Kashmir and beyond.
‘This attack on Hindu pilgrims is a targeted, sectarian act of violence that reflects the continuing use of terrorism as a geopolitical tool’, said Rocky Sharda, an entrepreneur originally from Punjab and now residing in Rome. ‘Terrorism is a scourge that claims innocent lives in the name of religion. The only way to protect people from tragedies like this is to eliminate terrorism in all its forms—without exception, without compromise.’
The demonstration in Rome sought to highlight the human cost of these acts and the urgent need for stronger international collaboration in countering terrorism. The event focused on remembrance, solidarity, and a demand for global accountability.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has responded with Operation Sindoor, a calibrated military strike on alleged terror camps in Pakistan-occupied territories. The operation, named in tribute to the 26 widows left behind after the Pahalgam attack, was designed to be ‘measured and non-escalatory’, according to official statements.
As South Asia grapples with the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and renewed tensions between India and Pakistan, the international community watches with concern. Though a temporary ceasefire was announced and later breached, there are reports of a U.S.-brokered understanding between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
For Indian expatriates far from home, the events in Kashmir feel immediate and personal. Their message from Rome is clear: terrorism has no place in a civilized world—and justice for the victims must not be delayed.
