1 Man From Surat And A Father-Son From Bhavnagar Among 27 Killed In Pahalgam Terror Attack
Ahmedabad: Three Gujaratis were among the 27 people killed in a horrific terrorist attack in the Baisaran area of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday afternoon (April 22). This has been condemned as one of the deadliest attacks targeting civilians in the region in recent years. Two foreign tourists were also among the dead. With several others critically injured, officials have warned that the death toll may rise. The attack was carried out by suspected militants who emerged from dense forest near the Baisaran meadows and opened fire on civilians.
Shailesh Himmat Kalthiya, a tourist from Surat, was one of the victims. He was fatally shot in the chest and died instantly. A resident of Harikunj Society in the Chikuwadi area of Surat, Shailesh worked at the State Bank of India in Mumbai. He had traveled to Kashmir on vacation with his wife Sheetal and daughters Niti and Naksh, who are reported to be safe. His family in Surat received news of his death late in the evening due to the chaos following the attack. The District Collectorate has confirmed that his cousin, Mayur Dafnia, will travel to Kashmir to bring his body back. Shailesh originally hailed from Dhufaniya village in Damnagar, Amreli district.
Two other victims were from Bhavnagar: Yatishbhai Parmar and his 17-year-old son Smit Parmar. Their deaths were confirmed early Wednesday morning after they were reported missing following the attack. The two were part of a 20-member tour group from Bhavnagar. Yatishbhai, aged 45, ran a hair salon in the Kaliyabid area, while Smitt was a Class 11 student. His wife, Kajalben, who was also part of the trip, has been found safe.
The bodies of the victims from Surat and Bhavnagar will be brought back to Gujarat for final rites.Though the government has not yet released an official casualty list, sources share that many injured victims are in serious condition and the number of deaths could increase.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, cut his trip short and returned to India after receiving updates on the incident. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly condemned the attack, calling it a horrifying assault on civilians and tourists. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years. I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough,” he said.