In Pahalgam, Kashmir, a terror attack on tourists has left families in deep sorrow. Pallavi, a bank manager from Karnataka’s Shivamogga, lost her husband, Manjunath, during the attack. She shared her experience in a phone call to a reputed Kannada media outlet, describing the events and the trauma her family faced.

Pallavi had gone to Kashmir with her husband, Manjunath, and their 18-year-old son, Abhijeya, on April 19 for a holiday. They were planning to return home on April 24. But their peaceful trip turned into a nightmare when terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam.

“We are in Pahalgam, and my husband died right in front of me. I couldn't cry or react – I couldn't even comprehend what had just happened. I had come here with my husband Manjunath and our son Abhijeya from Karnataka's Shivamogga,” she said.

She said her driver, who is a good person, told her that Hindus were being targeted. She also mentioned that three people, who kept saying ‘Bismillah’, helped them escape safely.

"Kill us too," said Pallavi and her son to terrorists

Pallavi described that after her husband was shot, she and her son came face to face with one of the attackers.

"I noticed that there were three to four attackers. After my husband was killed, I faced one of the terrorists and said, 'Mere pati ko mara hai na, mujhe bhi maaro.' My son also confronted him and said, 'Kutte, mere papa ko maara, humein bhi maar daalo'," she recounted.

To their surprise, the terrorist did not kill them. Pallavi said the attacker told them, "'Nahin marenge. Tum Modi ko jaake bolo'".

She added, "The terrorists were right in front of us. They were not in army uniforms. Almost all the men were targeted. There were many newlywed couples, and in most cases, only the husbands were attacked while women and others were spared. Hindus were targeted. There were around 500 tourists present."

She recalled how her husband had gone to get some food for their hungry son when the attack happened. “We had gone there on horseback. My son had not eaten anything since morning, so my husband went to get him some bread. At first, we heard gunfire and thought the army had fired a shot. Then people started running. I saw my husband had already collapsed and was lying in a pool of blood. Someone had shot him in the head. I sat beside his body, unable to react,” Pallavi said.

Family in shock, Pallavi asks for help to bring her husband’s body home

Now, Pallavi just wants to return home with her husband's body. "I want to return to my hometown, Shivamogga, but not alone. I will return only with my husband's body. All three of us must come back together. I request the authorities to make the necessary arrangements," she said.

Manjunath was a realtor. His family in Shivamogga is completely shocked by his death. His elderly mother has not yet been told the truth. She has only been informed that her son is injured and will return soon.

 

Read: Terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam: One tourist killed, 7 injured