New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI): People involved in the dastardly terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam will get a strong response in the "near future" and India cannot be "intimidated" by any such terrorist activities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

His remarks in an address at an event came a day after 26 people were killed by terrorists in Pahalgam in an attack that triggered wide-spread outrage within India and abroad.

"From this platform, I assure the countrymen that in view of the incident, the government of India will take every step that is necessary and appropriate," Singh said.

"And we will not only trace those who perpetrated this incident. We will also reach out to those who, sitting behind the scenes, have conspired to carry out the nefarious act on the soil of India," he said.

The defence minister said "India is such an old civilization and such a big country that it cannot be intimidated by any such terrorist activities."

"The people responsible for such acts will get a strong response in the near future," he asserted.

Singh described the attack in Pahalgam as "extremely inhuman" that has "left all of us in deep grief and pain".

"I would like to reiterate India's firm resolve that we have a zero tolerance policy against terrorism," he said.

Every citizen of India is united against this cowardly act, he added.

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Bengaluru: Ayush Mhatre's 94 and Ravindra Jadeja's 77 not out went in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru pipped Chennai Super Kings by two runs in their IPL match here on Saturday.

Chasing 214, CSK scored 211 for 5 in their 20 overs.

Mhatre scored a 48-ball 94 with five sixes and nine fours while adding 114 runs with Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls, 8x4s, 2x6s) for the second wicket.

For RCB, Lungi Ngidi returned with figures of 3/30.

Earlier, half-centuries from Jacob Bethell (55), Virat Kohli (62) and Romario Shepherd (53 not out) took RCB to 213 for five.

While Bethell and Kohli put on 97 runs for the opening wicket to set a platform, Shepherd blasted four fours and six sixes to make 53 not out off only 14 balls, recording the fastest fifty of the season and joint second-fastest overall.

For CSK, Matheesha Pathirana found his rhythm and lengths to return 3-0-36-3.

Brief scores:

RCB: 213 for 5 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Virat Kohli 62, Romario Shepherd 53 not out; Matheesha Pathirana 3/36).

CSK: 211 for 5 in 20 overs (Ayush Mhatre 94, Ravindra Jadeja 77 not out; Lungi Ngidi 3/30).