The devastating terror attack that struck Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday has left families shattered across multiple states in India.
Among the civilians killed was Shubham Dwivedi, a newlywed from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who had travelled to Kashmir with his wife for a short vacation. Shubham had been married just two months earlier, on February 12, 2025.
His cousin, Saurabh Dwivedi, recounted the horror to ANI: "Shubham Bhaiya got married on February 12 this year. He was in Pahalgam with his wife. My sister-in-law called my uncle and told him that Shubham was shot in the head. It is also being said that the firing started after asking for the names of the individuals... We have received information that the body will be released after 2-3 days after completing all the procedures..."
Another victim was Dilip Desale, a resident of Panvel, Maharashtra. BJP MLA Prashant Thakur expressed his condolences and condemned the attack, stating, "The tragic and horrific attack in Jammu and Kashmir should be strongly condemned... Dilip Desale, a resident of New Panvel, has died in the firing..."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman both cut short their foreign visits following the gruesome attack, which is considered one of the deadliest since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. PM Modi was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, while Sitharaman was abroad in the US and Peru.
Several tourists from various states were among those killed. Prashant Satpathy, an Accounts Officer from Odisha, was one of them. He had been vacationing with his wife and young son. His elder brother, Susanta Satpathy, told reporters, "We received the information around 3 PM... When we called the toll-free number, they just informed us about the death of my younger brother. I have no information about my younger brother's wife or my nephew, where they are. Additional DSP has contacted me... He (Prashant Satpathy) worked as Accounts Officer..."
Another victim, Shailesh Bhai Himmat Bhai Kadatiya from Surat, Gujarat, was on a trip with his wife and two children when he was killed in the attack. His family survived. The tragic news was confirmed by Sazid Merujay, Deputy Tehsildar of the District Emergency Operation Centre of Surat.
Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, aged 26 and from Karnal, Haryana, was also killed in the attack. Narwal had recently gotten married on April 16, with the reception held on April 19. He was on leave and vacationing in Kashmir. A naval officer posted in Kochi, Narwal had joined the Navy two years ago. His death has left his family and the defence community in mourning.
In one of the most horrifying personal accounts, 26-year-old Asavari Jagdale from Pune, who works as an HR professional, described the harrowing moments of the attack that killed her father, Santosh Jagdale, and uncle.
"We were a group of five people, including my parents. We were in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam and were at a spot called Mini Switzerland when the firing began," she told PTI in a phone interview.
The family sought shelter in a tent, joined by several other tourists. Asavari recounted, "Then they came to our tent and asked my father to come out," she said. "They said 'Chaudhari tu bahar aa ja'."
The gunmen allegedly accused them of supporting Prime Minister Modi and claimed they do not kill women or children. They then demanded that her father recite an Islamic verse, likely the Kalma. "When he failed to do so, they pumped three bullets into him, one on the head, one behind the ear and another in the back," she said.
Her uncle, who lay beside her, was also shot multiple times. She, her mother, and another female relative were spared and later evacuated by locals and security personnel. "There was nobody to help. No police or army, who reached 20 minutes later," she said.
Officials have confirmed that 26 people were killed and several injured, most of them tourists, in what is being described as one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in Kashmir.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage across the country. Candlelight marches were held in Baramulla, Srinagar, Poonch, Akhnoor, and Kupwara. In Jammu, Bajrang Dal workers staged a protest. Taxi drivers in Pahalgam also held a candlelight march. Gulzar Ahmad Wani, president of the Pahalgam Taxi Association, voiced the pain of the local community: "I condemn this attack. It is not just tourists, but our livelihood, our families. We don't consider them tourists. It is as if our family members have been killed. I request the government to get to the bottom of this matter... Pahalgam has always been peaceful, and it runs on tourism..."
Responding to the tragedy, Prime Minister Modi stated on X: "I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured person recovers as soon as possible. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected... Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakeable, and it will get even stronger."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening to lead a high-level security review and assured that those involved in this "dastardly act of terror" will not be spared. Following the attack, the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched an intense search operation in the general area of Baisaran, Pahalgam, to track down the attackers. The Delhi Police was also placed on high alert at tourist locations and other sensitive sites.
In Maharashtra, the Deputy Chief Minister’s office confirmed that five tourists from the state were among the deceased. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has requested Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to arrange a special flight to evacuate stranded tourists. The Union Minister assured that efforts would be initiated to bring the stranded citizens home once the list of names is shared.
The horror in Pahalgam has gripped the entire nation — not just in mourning, but in renewed resolve.
