Mourning families across India received the bodies of loved ones killed in a devastating terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly tourists, lost their lives on Tuesday. The emotional toll was palpable as coffins arrived in hometowns, accompanied by tearful farewells and widespread condemnation of the violence.
In Karnal, Haryana, Himanshi Narwal recounted the chilling moments of the attack in Baisaran Valley. She described how a gunman questioned her husband, Vinay Narwal, about his religion before fatally shooting him. “I was eating bhel puri with my husband when a man asked if he was Muslim. When he said no, the man shot him dead,” Himanshi told reporters, her voice breaking. Vinay’s last rites were performed Wednesday evening in Karnal, a somber event reflecting the family’s shattered dreams of a joyful vacation.
The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted tourists in the scenic Baisaran meadows, a popular spot known as “Mini Switzerland.” Among the victims were 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national, with Maharashtra reporting the highest toll of six deaths. Gujarat and Karnataka each lost three residents, while others hailed from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh. Two foreign nationals, one from the UAE and one from Nepal, were also among the deceased.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak paid tribute to Shubham Dwivedi from Kanpur and Sudeep from Nepal as their bodies arrived at the airport. Karnataka saw Union Minister V Somanna and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya accompany the remains of Manjunath Rao and Bharath Bushan, two of the state’s three victims. In Guwahati, the body of Indian Air Force Corporal Tage Hailyang, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, was brought to the airport early Thursday, leaving his community in Lower Subansiri district in grief.
The Jammu and Kashmir government announced financial aid for the victims’ families, offering Rs 10 lakh for each deceased person’s kin, Rs 2 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for others hurt in the attack. Meanwhile, security forces intensified operations, with the National Investigation Agency assisting local police in the probe. Sketches of three suspected attackers, one reportedly wearing a bodycam, were released as searches continued in Pahalgam’s forests.
Political leaders across the spectrum condemned the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that the perpetrators would face justice, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the violence “cowardly” and “heartbreaking.” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the mass exodus of tourists from the region as “heartbreaking,” noting the economic impact on locals reliant on tourism. People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone led a candlelight vigil, stating that “all of Kashmir was shedding tears of blood.”
International leaders, including former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, also denounced the attack, with condolences pouring in from nations like France, Italy, and Nepal. As India grapples with the aftermath, the nation remains united in sorrow and resolve, demanding justice for the lives lost in this tragic assault.