Parliament to Pahalgam: Outlook’s Frontline Reporting

The crackle of the gun, the numbing burst of a bomb, screams of pain and the anguish of innocent people have sadly been a constant in the last three decades. The 9/11 al-Qaeda attack in New York showed the world how organised and clinical the terror network had become. India felt its onslaught seven years later, as terrorists from Pakistan took hold of Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal hotel, ravaged through the Gateway of India and Colaba and held the city to ransom for three days. Two years earlier, terrorists had bombed the city’s lifeline—the local trains—killing over 200 people. Terror visited Delhi in 2001 when India’s symbol of democracy—the Parliament—came under attack.

In 2005, Delhi’s popular Sarojini Nagar market was the target, where a bomb killed Diwali shoppers. Terror has spared no region—from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to the Akshardham attack in Gujarat to the Samjhauta Express bombings. Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern states have suffered the most. The cycle of terror shows no sign of abating. Just when a sense of calm prevailed, the Pahalgam attack took place. On April 22, 2025, 26 innocent civilians, most of them tourists, were mercilessly shot down in Baisaran meadow in Kashmir.  

A Night of Dread Coming in via sea, armed to the teeth, the fidayeen laid siege to some of Mumbai’s iconic locations. The December 8, 2008, issue titled ‘Black Wednesday’ reviewed the first few leads in the investigation and assessed the political, economic and international fallout of the 26/11 terror attack

India’s Shock & Awe: The targeting of a central symbol of the nation, the willingness of the assailants to sacrifice their lives to attain their objectives, the careful planning that must have preceded the event ….the December 24, 2001, issue reported the audacious attack on Parliament

Twin Terror: One of the three cover stories of the September 8, 2003, issue reported on the aftermath of the blasts that shook the Gateway of India and Jhaveri Bazaar on August 25 that year

Terror on Rails: Around midnight on February 18, 2007, bombs were set off in two carriages, both filled with passengers, on the Samjhauta Express—a twice-weekly train service connecting Delhi and Lahore. Nearly 70 people died. The March 5, 2007, issue followed the investigations into a strike that added a new dimension to terrorism

Who, How, Why: Mumbai is too good to burn … wrote editor Vinod Mehta in a story that talked about Mumbai’s resilience. The quintessential ‘Mumbai spirit’ had taken a hit after seven blasts on Mumbai’s suburban trains killed over 200 and left a thousand injured on July 11, 2006. The needle of investigation pointed at the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Dozens were arrested. Nearly two decades later, the Bombay High Court, in July 2025, acquitted 12 men who were convicted in the 2006 train bombings

Charminar’s Curse: From February 2001 to May 2007, several blasts rocked Hyderabad—a city that had a history of terrorist strikes allegedly masterminded by Islamic groups/ISI. While no casualties were reported, on August 25, 2007, twin blasts in the city killed 41. The September 10, 2007, issue explored why Hyderabad had emerged as a safe haven for terrorist groups

Maximum Seismicity: Eleven terror attacks in 18 years, 40 different locations, 704 lives lost, 2,289 wounded, including the 18 dead and 131 injured on the evening of July 13, 2011, when terror struck at Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House and Dadar. As his city becomes a recurrent victim of terror, the Mumbaikar sinks deeper into a zone of acceptance …. the July 25, 2011, issue explored why India’s business, media and film capital was an automatic target for those sending a message

Blastphemy: The blast outside Gate No 5 of the Delhi High Court once again exposed the chinks in the security apparatus of the national capital. Incidentally, it was the seventh terror attack under Home Minister P Chidambaram’s watch. The September 19, 2011, issue dug deep and asked pointed questions

Armageddon!: The September 24, 2001, issue, published soon after the 9/11 terror attack, explored themes like: A man called Osama, Musharaff’s dilemma, a new Indo-US alliance, economic aftershocks and Kashmir redefined

Hanging Indent: In its February 25, 2013, issue, Arundhati Roy examined the undue haste with which Afzal Guru’s hanging came about. She wrote about the long-term implications in the Valley and also commented on whether Pranab Mukherjee’s presidency was marked by an unusually high number of executions

The Kasab Closure: Ajmal Kasab went from being behind bars to the hangman’s noose with surprising alacrity. In its December 3, 2012, issue, Outlook published a story on the sudden death sentence and the implications for Mumbai and India. The cover story also asked a tough question—Has the UPA harmed India’s humanist credentials, jeopardised the legal case and opened the trapdoor for Afzal Guru and others, for narrow political gain?

Attacking Innocents: The May 11 issue on the Pahalgam terror attack explored how amid emotional funerals, salutations and promises of justice, the families of those killed are struggling to make sense of the unforeseen tragedy

Benazir Zinda Hai!: On December 27, 2007, the news of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination spread like wildfire in the subcontinent. After addressing a rally at Rawalpindi Garrison Town, she sat in her car and ordered the sunroof to be opened. Seconds later, two bullets lodged in her head and a suicide bomber blew himself up. In its special issue published on January 14, 2008, with “STOP PRESS” embossed on the cover, Outlook explored what her death meant for Pakistan, India and the subcontinent

Pent-up and Silent: In its November 5, 2001, issue, Outlook put Osama Bin Laden on its cover. The cover story explored how some Indian Muslims harboured a sneaking admiration for Osama but they preferred not to express it—lest they be prey to Hindutva backlash

Who Are They?: Convenient fall guys or homegrown terrorists? Who are the Indian Mujahideen? In its August 1, 2011, issue, Outlook examined what the Indian Mujahideen is, what it stands for and why is it difficult to pin them down

This article appeared as Cycle Of Treason in Outlook’s January 01, 2026, issue 30 Years of Irreverencewhich commemorates the magazine's 30 years of journalism. From its earliest days of irreverence to its present-day transformation, the magazine has weathered controversy, crisis, and change.