When terror struck the tourist town of Pahalgam in Kashmir on a Tuesday afternoon, it wasn’t just the horror of bullets that made headlines, it was also the bravery, kindness, and courage shown by local Kashmiris.
In what is being called the deadliest terror attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, terrorists opened fire at Baisaran, a popular meadow in the upper reaches of Pahalgam. The attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists from other Indian states.
As the bodies were flown back home and families began to mourn, stories of local Kashmiris stepping up to help the injured and scared visitors poured in. These stories painted a very different picture, one of humanity and hospitality, even in the face of terror.
The Pony ‘Wallah’ Who Faced the Gun
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a 30-year-old pony rider, gave his life trying to protect two tourists from Pune, Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale. As the men stood face to face with the gunmen, Shah bravely stepped forward and asked the terrorists why they were killing innocent people.
In an attempt to protect the tourists, he tried to grab one of their weapons but was shot in the chest three times and died on the spot.
Shah was the only local among the first list of victims. His funeral in Hapatnard village drew thousands, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
"They Were Like Angels"
Asavari Jagdale, who lost her father and uncle in the attack, said she was helped by another pony rider while fleeing the spot.
"I gathered courage and managed to escape with my mother and aunt. While coming down, my mother suffered leg injuries. A pony rider offered us support and hope. He gave us a pony ride to our driver."
She also remembered how her cab driver stayed in touch and kept offering help even after she left Srinagar.
"He asked us to tell him any help we need, whether it was money. He is a driver who still wants to help us. He was crying on the call and also when I was leaving from Srinagar. I thanked him, I told him that because of his presence I did not feel lonely. He cried saying that he is sad for my loss. They were like angels sent by God."
A Hero Who Saved 11 Lives
Another pony rider, 28-year-old Nazakat Ahmed Shah, saved 11 tourists including three children. He had taken them to Baisaran when the gunfire started.
"My first concern was the safety of the tourist families. I took Lucky's kid and another child and lay down on the ground... I noticed a small opening and asked the families to move out through that opening. They asked me to save the children first. I slipped through it with the two kids, and ran towards Pahalgam town."
Nazakat returned to help the others escape and took all 11 to safety.
His bravery was recognised on social media. Arvind Agrawal, one of the rescued tourists, wrote:
"You saved our lives by risking your own, we will never be able to repay the debt of Nazakat Bhai."
Another tourist, Kuldeep Sthapak, added, "Nazakat bhai, you not only saved my life that day, you kept humanity alive. I will never forget you for the rest of my life."
The Guide Who Carried a Child
Tourist guide and shawl vendor Sajad Ahmad Bhat was seen in viral videos carrying a child on his back as he ran down the mountain.
"Humanity above all… this is the murder of humanity," Bhat told PTI Videos.
"We carried the injured on our ponies and took them to the Pahalgam hospital. We took at least 18-20 injured on ponies. There were two-three other men who carried people on their back. I carried a child on my back, offered water, took him to the hospital."
He said Kashmir was in mourning and sent a message to the rest of India, "They should have instead killed us, it should not have happened to them (the tourists). We want to tell all Indians that we stand with them… We are all Indians."
Locals Who Warned and Protected
Some tourists were saved even before they reached the site of the attack, thanks to cautious hotel staff.
A family from Buldhana, Maharashtra, was about to step out for sightseeing when the hotel owner stopped them after sensing something was wrong. The warning possibly saved their lives.
Sakshi and Krishna Lolge from Nanded were also at Baisaran just 15 minutes before the shooting began.
"We heard the sound of firing after we moved a little away from the place," Sakshi said in a video shot from her hotel.
"If there was no support from local people, who helped us to move away fast, we would have not been able to make this video. The local people helped the tourists a lot."
Krishna added, "Our tour coordinators were in constant touch with us. The local people took us to our hotel immediately. We came to know at the hotel that the terror attack had taken place. We saw a large number of security personnel moving towards the attack location."
Inputs from PTI
In what is being called the deadliest terror attack in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, terrorists opened fire at Baisaran, a popular meadow in the upper reaches of Pahalgam. The attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists from other Indian states.
As the bodies were flown back home and families began to mourn, stories of local Kashmiris stepping up to help the injured and scared visitors poured in. These stories painted a very different picture, one of humanity and hospitality, even in the face of terror.
The Pony ‘Wallah’ Who Faced the Gun
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a 30-year-old pony rider, gave his life trying to protect two tourists from Pune, Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale. As the men stood face to face with the gunmen, Shah bravely stepped forward and asked the terrorists why they were killing innocent people.
In an attempt to protect the tourists, he tried to grab one of their weapons but was shot in the chest three times and died on the spot.
Shah was the only local among the first list of victims. His funeral in Hapatnard village drew thousands, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
"They Were Like Angels"
Asavari Jagdale, who lost her father and uncle in the attack, said she was helped by another pony rider while fleeing the spot.
"I gathered courage and managed to escape with my mother and aunt. While coming down, my mother suffered leg injuries. A pony rider offered us support and hope. He gave us a pony ride to our driver."
She also remembered how her cab driver stayed in touch and kept offering help even after she left Srinagar.
"He asked us to tell him any help we need, whether it was money. He is a driver who still wants to help us. He was crying on the call and also when I was leaving from Srinagar. I thanked him, I told him that because of his presence I did not feel lonely. He cried saying that he is sad for my loss. They were like angels sent by God."
A Hero Who Saved 11 Lives
Another pony rider, 28-year-old Nazakat Ahmed Shah, saved 11 tourists including three children. He had taken them to Baisaran when the gunfire started.
"My first concern was the safety of the tourist families. I took Lucky's kid and another child and lay down on the ground... I noticed a small opening and asked the families to move out through that opening. They asked me to save the children first. I slipped through it with the two kids, and ran towards Pahalgam town."
Nazakat returned to help the others escape and took all 11 to safety.
His bravery was recognised on social media. Arvind Agrawal, one of the rescued tourists, wrote:
"You saved our lives by risking your own, we will never be able to repay the debt of Nazakat Bhai."
Another tourist, Kuldeep Sthapak, added, "Nazakat bhai, you not only saved my life that day, you kept humanity alive. I will never forget you for the rest of my life."
The Guide Who Carried a Child
Tourist guide and shawl vendor Sajad Ahmad Bhat was seen in viral videos carrying a child on his back as he ran down the mountain.
"Humanity above all… this is the murder of humanity," Bhat told PTI Videos.
"We carried the injured on our ponies and took them to the Pahalgam hospital. We took at least 18-20 injured on ponies. There were two-three other men who carried people on their back. I carried a child on my back, offered water, took him to the hospital."
He said Kashmir was in mourning and sent a message to the rest of India, "They should have instead killed us, it should not have happened to them (the tourists). We want to tell all Indians that we stand with them… We are all Indians."
Locals Who Warned and Protected
Some tourists were saved even before they reached the site of the attack, thanks to cautious hotel staff.
A family from Buldhana, Maharashtra, was about to step out for sightseeing when the hotel owner stopped them after sensing something was wrong. The warning possibly saved their lives.
Sakshi and Krishna Lolge from Nanded were also at Baisaran just 15 minutes before the shooting began.
"We heard the sound of firing after we moved a little away from the place," Sakshi said in a video shot from her hotel.
"If there was no support from local people, who helped us to move away fast, we would have not been able to make this video. The local people helped the tourists a lot."
Krishna added, "Our tour coordinators were in constant touch with us. The local people took us to our hotel immediately. We came to know at the hotel that the terror attack had taken place. We saw a large number of security personnel moving towards the attack location."
Inputs from PTI
You may also like
Indian Railways To Run Special Summer Train From Lokmanya Tilak Terminus To Saharsa From April 27
"We don't want such incidents in Kashmir, entire population is upset," says J-K local on Pahalgam terror attack
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively fly in for Wrexham promotion party ahead of huge game
Flood alert issued in PoK's Muzaffarabad as locals allege sudden release of water into Jhelum
Ground Zero Box Office Collection Day 2 Prediction: Will Emraan Hashmi Starrer Show A Growth On Saturday?
