The assailant allegedly assured the woman of her safety, instructing her to relay information about the attack to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pallavi, a tourist who tragically lost her husband Manjunath during the terrorist assault on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, recounted her distressing ordeal on Tuesday. She disclosed that both she and her 18-year-old son confronted the assailant, pleading to be killed alongside Manjunath.
However, the assailant reportedly assured them of their safety and directed them to inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the incident. In a conversation with a respected Kannada media outlet, Pallavi stated, 'We are in Pahalgam, and my husband died right in front of me. I was unable to cry or react -- I could not even grasp what had just transpired. I had traveled here with my husband Manjunath and our son Abhijeya from Shivamogga in Karnataka.' 'I was accompanied by my car driver, who is a good person. He informed me that Hindus were being targeted. Three others, who repeatedly uttered ‘Bismillah', assisted us in reaching safety.
I wish for my husband's body to be airlifted. We should all return together,' she continued. 'I observed that there were three to four attackers. After my husband was killed, I confronted one of the terrorists and said, 'Mere pati ko mara hai na, mujhe bhi maaro' (You've killed my husband, kill me too). My son also faced him and said, 'Kutte, mere papa ko maara, humein bhi maar daalo' (You dog, you killed my father, kill us too),' she recounted. 'The terrorist responded, 'Nahin marenge. Tum Modi ko jaake bolo' (I won't kill you. Go and tell Modi),' Pallavi recounted.
Further describing the scene, she noted, 'The terrorists were directly in front of us. They were not dressed in military uniforms. Almost all the men were targeted. Many newlywed couples were present, and in most instances, only the husbands were attacked while women and others were spared. Hindus were specifically targeted. Approximately 500 tourists were present at the time.'
We traveled there on horseback. My son had not consumed any food since the morning, prompting my husband to fetch him some bread. Initially, we heard gunfire and assumed the army had fired a shot. Subsequently, people began to flee. I noticed that my husband had already fallen, lying in a pool of blood, having been shot in the head. I sat beside his lifeless body, paralyzed with shock," she recounted. "I wish to return to my hometown, Shivamogga, but I cannot do so alone.
I will only return with my husband's remains. It is essential that we all come back together. I urge the authorities to facilitate the necessary arrangements," Pallavi expressed. The family had embarked on a trip to Kashmir on April 19, with plans to return on April 24. Manjunath's family in Shivamogga is in a state of disbelief. Manjunath's mother remains unaware of her son's death, having been informed instead that he is injured and will return home safely soon. Manjunath was a realtor, while his wife Pallavi serves as a bank manager.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)