The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
As the echoes of gunfire still reverberated in the minds of survivors, chilling details emerged of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 28 civilians, including two foreigners.
The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Gulzar Ahmad, a local resident, was among the first to witness the chaos. He described the moments leading up to the attack, noting the rising panic among both tourists and locals. “
We were standing at the stand when some customers had gone to the upper side,” Ahmad said. “At around 2:45 PM, we saw people running in all directions, screaming. We asked what had happened, and that’s when we learned a gunshot had been fired. It was clear something terrible was happening.”
Ahmad, like many others, was thrown into confusion and fear. “The noise of the gunshots was deafening,” he recalled. “People were running in every direction, trying to find shelter, but we didn’t know where to go. It felt like a nightmare.”
Among the most heart-wrenching stories was that of Pallavi, a devastated wife who spoke to local news channels from a hospital in Pahalgam. Her voice quivered as she recounted the horrifying moments leading to the death of her husband.
“My husband was shot dead by terrorists right in front of us,” she said, filled with disbelief and sorrow. “I begged them to shoot me too, but they told me to stay alive and convey a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
She paused, overcome with emotion, before continuing. “They wanted me to tell the world what they had done. I never imagined I would witness something so terrifying, let alone lose my husband this way.”
A disturbing video, recorded by an eyewitness who narrowly escaped the attack, has since surfaced online. In the footage, the survivor, visibly shaken, can be heard saying, “Terrorists have attacked. We narrowly escaped, but God will protect us. [Yaha pe attack hua hai aatankwadiyo ka, hum log baal baal bache hai, parmata raksha karega].”
