India, April 23 -- Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday issued a chilling warning to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack and the "actors behind the scenes", saying they will soon receive a "loud and clear" response from India.

A day after 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists near the Jammu and Kashmir town, the minister said India will "reach" those who carried out the attack and those who masterminded it.

"Yesterday, in Pahalgam, targeting a particular religion, terrorists executed a cowardly act, in which we lost many innocent lives... I want to assure the countrymen that the government will take every necessary step. We will not only reach the perpetrators of this act but also the actors behind...