1745405161452Unthinkable Horror Strikes Scenic Kashmir Valley

 

What was supposed to be a peaceful holiday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam became a bloodbath on Tuesday. The ISI-sponsored terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba unleashed indiscriminate gunfire at unsuspecting tourists, leaving 26 dead and dozens injured. It has been deemed the worst terror attack in the valley in three years since the 2019 Pulwama tragedy.

Witnesses and survivors describe a macabre scene of a well-planned massacre, with victims reportedly identified and targeted based on their religion.

 

‘Are You Hindu?’, Then Bullets

 

Bharat Bhusan, a 41-year-old techie from Bengaluru, was on a holiday with his wife and their three-year-old son when he was gunned down in front of them. His wife, Sujatha, a doctor, escaped along with her child. The attackers allegedly asked the victims if they were Hindu before gunning them down, according to Sujatha’s mother.

“They did not shoot children and women but targeted the heads of men”, she explained, describing the last telephone conversation with her tearful daughter.

 

From Picnic to Massacre

 

Several survivors reported that the attackers wore uniforms similar to those of the local police. Pune businessman Santosh Jagdale was among the victims. His daughter, Asavari, described when the assailants burst into their tent. “They questioned whether my father was Muslim and instructed him to say the Kalma. When he was unable to do so, they shot him in the head, behind the ear, and in the back,” she described. Her uncle, who was present near her, suffered the same outcome.

 

Terrorists Allegedly Spared Women and Children

 

Several survivors claimed that the gunmen selectively targeted male tourists. Asavari said her family was hiding when the militants demanded that her father step outside. “They blamed us for supporting Prime Minister Modi. Then they said, ‘Go and tell your government what we have done.’” She, her mother, and another female relative were spared but traumatized.

 

They Asked If He Was Muslim

 

Shubham Dwivedi, a young Kanpur newlywed, was gunned down after being directed to recite an Islamic verse. Shubham’s cousin informed the media that Shubham and his wife were having Maggi when the militants asked them what they were doing.

Shubham’s wife pleaded with the gunmen to kill her as well. “But they said, ‘We are leaving you alive so you can tell your government what happened’ ”, her father-in-law explained.

 

Evacuation and Aftermath

 

With no nearby shelter in the open field, tourists rushed for cover. Some attempted to escape through a small gate; one woman suffered a broken leg in the stampede. Helicopters were used to airlift the wounded while locals assisted in carrying victims on ponies.

The Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K police have initiated a large-scale manhunt, and photos of four suspected terrorists have been released.

 

Holiday in Heaven Turned to Bloody-soaked Nightmare

 

When the survivors came home with inconceivable trauma, tales of bravery and sorrow came out of the valley with them. Families who visited Pahalgam to create memories now bear scars of fright. The terror has left behind not just bullet holes but also emotional cavities that no inquiry or compensation can ever fill.