Debasish Bhattacharya, a professor from Assam University, narrowly escaped the Pahalgam terror attack by reciting the Islamic Kalma amid gunfire.

'I said Kalma as terrorists approached': Assam professor’s terrifying escape from death

Debasish Bhattacharya, a professor from Assam University, narrowly escaped the Pahalgam terror attack by reciting the Islamic Kalma amid gunfire.

Reciting Islamic verse 'Kalma' saved the life of Assam University Professor Debasish Bhattacharya by a whisker from the terrorists' bullets in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam where he was holidaying with his family.
Bhattacharya, who teaches Bengali at Silchar's Assam University, was at Baisaran meadows when the gun-totting terrorists started targeting tourists visiting the picturesque spot.
He said the people around him crouched on the ground and started reciting the 'Kalma', a declaration of faith that forms the core beliefs of Muslims.
"So I also followed them. A terrorist walked up to us and shot the man next to me. Then he looked at me and asked what I was doing. I just recited the Kalma louder and did not reply to his question. I don't know what happened, he just turned around and left," Bhattacharya told PTI over phone.
The professor said after the terrorists left, he along with his wife and son immediately abandoned the place and walked back.
"I somehow managed to escape by crossing the fence," he said.
After walking for about two hours, he met a local man who guided him back to the Pahalgam town.
Some of the eyewitnesses have claimed that the victims were asked about their religion before they were shot. The terrorists only targeted men.
Still badly shaken from the ordeal, Bhattacharya said he will not be able to answer any more queries.
Meanwhile, the Assam government is making arrangements to bring Bhattacharya's family to his hometown.
&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/CMOfficeAssam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;@CMOfficeAssam&lt;/a&gt; has spoken to a survivor from Assam of the dastardly &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PahalgamTerrorAttack?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#PahalgamTerrorAttack&lt;/a&gt; and has taken a full brief of the incident which they have faced yesterday.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The entire family&amp;#39;s return to the State is being arranged on priority and the Govt of Assam is in touch with&hellip;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/CMOfficeAssam/status/1914943510010081680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2025&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
"The@CMOfficeAssam has spoken to a survivor from Assam of the dastardly #PahalgamTerrorAttack and has taken a full brief of the incident which they have faced yesterday," the CMO said in a post on X.
"The entire family's return to the state is being arranged on priority and the government of Assam is in touch with the govt of India to bring the family back to Assam at the earliest," it added.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also said that his office is in touch with Bhattacharya. "We will ensure his safe return to Assam soon," he said.
A group of terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadows, killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists from other states, and injuring several others.

The government will hold an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday to brief leaders on the Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory steps against Pakistan.

Pahalgam terror attack: Centre to brief leaders at all-party meet

The government will hold an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday to brief leaders on the Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory steps against Pakistan.

The Centre will brief leaders of various political parties on the Pahalgam terror attack and hear their views at an all-party meeting to be held on Thursday evening.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to brief the leaders, official sources said. Singh will chair the meeting.
With the government announcing a host of measures targeting Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack where terrorists killed at least 26 persons, mostly tourists, on Tuesday, sources said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may also speak at the meeting.
The decision to call an all-party meeting was taken on Wednesday, with Singh and Shah reaching out to various parties.
There has been a convention for calling an all-party meeting following an incident with serious repercussions related to national security, as was seen after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 or during the India-China standoff in 2020.
It helps present a picture of national unity in moments of crises and allows the opposition leaders to convey their views to the government and be briefed in detail on the official position.
Targeting Pakistan following the attack in Pahalgam, India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with it and announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

India takes major diplomatic steps against Pakistan, suspending Indus Waters Treaty, closing Attari post, and expelling military staff after Pahalgam terror attack kills 26.

India downgrades ties with Pakistan after deadly Pahalgam terror attack

India takes major diplomatic steps against Pakistan, suspending Indus Waters Treaty, closing Attari post, and expelling military staff after Pahalgam terror attack kills 26.

India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
A day after the brazen attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, firmed up five specific retaliatory measures against Pakistan, directed the security forces to maintain "high vigil" and vowed to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice.
At a late evening media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, announcing the decisions, said the overall strength of the Pakistani and Indian high commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by May 1.
The foreign secretary said Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption scheme (SVES) and any Pakistani national currently in India under it SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
Misri said the cross-border linkages to the Pahalgam attack were "brought out" in a briefing to the CCS following which it decided to take the measures against Pakistan.
The new retaliatory actions shut down the few existing diplomatic mechanisms between the two sides taking bilateral relations to yet another new low.
The foreign secretary, announcing the five retaliatory measures, said that "the defence, military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non grata" and they have a week to leave India.
India will be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, he said.
"These posts in the respective high commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the service advisors will also be withdrawn from both high commissions," he said.
Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any such visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled, Misri said.
The CCS was briefed in detail on the attack, in which 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen were killed, the foreign secretary who attended the meeting along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and NSA Ajit Doval, said.
The foreign secretary said the CCS resolved that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack would be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account.
Hours before the CCS meeting, Defence Minister Singh said people responsible for the "cowardly terrorist attack" on innocent citizens will soon get a befitting reply to their nefarious acts on Indian soil.
Singh also said India will not only hunt down those who perpetrated the attack but it will also trace the people who conspired to carry out the nefarious act on the Indian soil while "sitting behind the scenes".
The CCS that lasted for two-and-half hours decided to close the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect. It is the only operational land border crossing between the two countries.
The CCS decided that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism, he said.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank to share the waters of cross-border rivers, is considered to be the most durable pact between the two sides.
On closing of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, Misri said those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1.
The CCS was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack on Tuesday in Pahalgam that left 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen dead, he said.
"A number of others sustained injuries. The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured," Misri said.
"Strong expressions of support and solidarity have been received from many governments around the world, which have unequivocally condemned this terror attack," he said.
The foreign secretary said the CCS recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out, he said.
"It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory (Jammu and Kashmir and its steady progress towards economic growth and development," he said.
Misri said the CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil.
"It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account," he said.
"As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror, or conspired to make them possible," he said.
In his address at the event, Defence Minister Singh said, "I assure the countrymen that in view of the incident, the government of India will take every step that is necessary and appropriate."
"And we will not only trace those who perpetrated this incident. We will also reach out to those who, sitting behind the scenes, have conspired to carry out the nefarious act on the soil of India," Singh said.
The defence minister said, "India is such an old civilization and such a big country that it cannot be intimidated by any such terrorist activities."
"The people responsible for such acts will get a strong response in the near future," he asserted.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announces a strong response to the Pahalgam attack in J

Rajnath Singh pledged to hunt down the attackers of Pahalgam

India's Defence Minister vows justice for Pahalgam terror attack victims, as enhanced security measures follow. The attack by TRF linked to Lashkar takes 26 lives.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh promises justice for victims of Pahalgam terror attack, carried out by TRF linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Enhanced security in Jammu and Kashmir follows, with the government condemning the attack.

On Wednesday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a stern warning to those involved in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, promising that India would bring all conspirators to justice.
This attack, which took place on Tuesday, April 22, targeted tourists at the scenic Baisaran meadows in the Anantnag district, resulting in the tragic deaths of 26 individuals, including two foreigners, and injuring several others.
The attack, reportedly carried out based on the victims' religious identities, was executed by operatives of The Resistance Front (TRF), a faction linked to the Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Addressing the nation from an event in New Delhi, Rajnath Singh firmly stated, "We will not only reach those who directly executed this heinous incident but also those hidden figures who conspired from behind the scenes to inflict such malevolent acts on Indian soil. We stand united against terror, and India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards such acts. We will take all necessary and appropriate measures."
His comments followed a high-level security meeting he chaired in the wake of the attack. The meeting, which spanned almost two and a half hours, included National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, along with the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Rajnath Singh instructed the armed forces to strengthen their combat readiness and intensify anti-terror operations in the region.
This attack has prompted multiple discussions on enhancing security in Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the act, assuring the nation of his unwavering commitment to combating terrorism.
"The terrorists will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and will only grow stronger," PM Modi declared in a post on X.

A TRF commander is cornered by security forces in Kulgam following a grave terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed including tourists. Leaders condemn the attack, tightened security measures.

TRF Militants Cornered in Kulgam Gunfight After Pahalgam Attack

In Kulgam, a TRF commander is engaged in a gunfight following a fatal attack in Pahalgam. This assault by TRF militants left 26 dead including tourists, causing outrage and a security clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir.

A TRF commander is engaged in a gunfight in Kulgam post a lethal attack on civilians in Pahalgam. The attack, by TRF, which left 26 dead including tourists, has led to a security clampdown.

A high-ranking commander of The Resistance Front (TRF) has been cornered in an ongoing gunfight between militants and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. The encounter in the Tangmarg area erupted a day after a devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 individuals.
This attack, one of the most severe targeting civilians in recent years, was attributed to the TRF, a group linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
On Tuesday afternoon, a group of five to six militants launched an assault on tourists in the Baisaran meadow, located approximately five kilometers from Pahalgam.
Accessible solely by foot or horseback, the area became the scene of horror as militants emerged from pine forests, opening fire on picnickers, pony riders, and food stall patrons. Victims included mostly tourists, among them two foreigners from the UAE and Nepal, as well as two local residents.
The attack drew swift responses from top Indian officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia at the time, returned to India to convene a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in New Delhi, focusing on the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah rushed to Srinagar hours after the attack. He conducted a high-level security review alongside Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir. Shah also visited Pahalgam to observe the site firsthand and offered his condolences to the families of the deceased and the survivors.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grave concern, describing the attack as unparalleled in its brutality against civilians in recent years.
National leaders have universally condemned the atrocity, voicing their grief and denouncing the incident.
Security forces have intensified search efforts across the region in a bid to apprehend those responsible and thwart further threats.

Prominent Muslim organizations in India condemn the Pahalgam terror attack, advocating peace and highlighting Islam's core values.

Muslim Leaders Advocate Peace After Attack

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Muslim organizations emphasize Islam's peace principles, condemning violent actions and stressing unity.

Muslim leaders in India unite to condemn the Pahalgam attack, stressing that violence contradicts Islam's principles, urging peace.

Prominent Muslim organisations on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind asserting that it is wrong to give a religious colour to the incident as terrorism is a "cancer" that contradicts Islam's policy of promoting peace.
The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday left at least 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured.
Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, the head of the All India Imam Organisation, said the imams of more than 5.5 lakh mosques in the country will give a strong message against terrorism, along with praying for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, during the Friday prayers this week.
After a meeting with the officials of his organisation and representatives of many other religions, Ilyasi said killing innocent people on the basis of religion is not only against Islam, but against humanity.
"Prayers will be offered at mosques for the innocent people who have been killed in Pahalgam and their families. During the Friday prayers, the imam will give a strong message against terrorism during his khutba (religious sermon)," he said.
"Our demand from the government is that no terrorist should be allowed to be buried on the soil of India," Ilyasi added.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani strongly condemned the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam.
He expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the victims' families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured, a statement issued by the Jamiat said.
Madani said those who kill innocent people are not humans but "beasts".
"There is no room for terrorism in Islam. Terrorism is a cancer that contradicts Islam's policy of promoting peace. It is essential for every believer to raise their voice against it," he said.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind considers criminal acts, especially those based on religion, to be a cause of destruction for the country and its peace and security, Madani said.
While this heinous act by terrorists is causing great concern, at the same time, the common people of Kashmir are also expressing their hatred and disapproval of this terrorist act, he noted.
"The condemnation of such acts from the mosques indicates that the common people of Kashmir desire to promote peace and harmony in the region. It shows that the spirit of brotherhood, compassion and unity is strong and alive in their hearts irrespective of their religions," the Jamiat chief said.
This also indicates that the government will have the full support of the Kashmiri people in maintaining law and order, Madani added.
He asserted that it is wrong to give this tragedy a religious colour.
"Among the deceased was not only a Muslim, but according to the reports coming from there, during the attacks, local people risked their own lives to save many tourists and took the injured to the hospital. After the attack, no official assistance arrived for a while and there were no vehicles available to transport the injured. In such a situation, local residents came out of their homes and saved the lives of many people," he said.
"In doing so, they set an example of humanity. And while doing so, they did not ask anyone about their religion. The common people of Kashmir are deeply shocked and angry over this tragedy. They have expressed their feelings by holding torch marches at various places," he said.
This is a sign that the common people of Kashmir desire peace, unity and development in the region, and do not support any form of extremism, Madani said.
"Therefore, the media should avoid one-sided and biased reporting. This is not the time to fuel hatred, but rather a moment to come together to heal the wounds ... and to promote unity, love and brotherhood," he said.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) president Syed Sadatullah Husaini also strongly condemned the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam.
In a statement, the Jamaat president expressed deep sorrow and outrage at the tragic loss of lives and called for immediate justice.
"We strongly condemn the deadly terror attack that took place in Pahalgam, south Kashmir. The loss of innocent lives, including foreign tourists, is deeply saddening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their grieving families. There can be no justification for such a barbaric act," he said.
It is completely inhuman and deserves absolute and unequivocal condemnation, Husaini said, asserting that those responsible must be brought to justice and given the harshest punishment.
The JIH chief stressed that no cause -- political, ideological or otherwise -- can ever justify such barbaric violence.
"This was an inhuman act that defies every moral and ethical code," he said.
He urged state and central authorities to take decisive and transparent steps to ensure justice for the victims, bolster security measures and safeguard vulnerable communities.
He also called on the civil society, faith leaders and the media to act responsibly and refrain from narratives that may further inflame tensions or target innocent groups.

Assam ensures the safe return of a family after the Pahalgam terror attack, while honoring Corporal Tage Hailyang.

Assam Supports Pahalgam Attack Survivors

The Assam government prioritizes the safe return of a surviving family from the Pahalgam attack, while honoring Corporal Tage Hailyang and vowing justice for the perpetrators.

Assam initiates return plans for a family who survived the Pahalgam attack, honoring Corporal Hailyang&rsquo;s memory.

The Assam government is making arrangements to bring back a family that survived the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister's Office said on Wednesday.
Terrorists struck a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists, and injuring several others.
"The@CMOfficeAssam has spoken to a survivor from Assam of the dastardly #PahalgamTerrorAttack and has taken a full brief of the incident which they have faced yesterday," the CMO said in a post on X.
"The entire family's return to the State is being arranged on priority and the Government of Assam is in touch with the Govt of India to bring the family back to Assam at the earliest," it added.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the person is a faculty member of Assam University in Silchar and he was in Kashmir on a family holiday.
"My office is in touch with him. We will ensure his safe return to Assam soon," he told reporters.
On Corporal Tage Hailyang of the Indian Air Force, an Arunachal Pradesh resident who lost his life in the attack, Sarma said his mortal remains will reach Guwahati around 11:30 pm on Wednesday.
"We will send his mortal remains to his native place in Arunachal Pradesh," he added.
The Chief Minister further said that the images of coffins are heartbreaking and have shaken the nation's conscience.
"The people of Assam join Adarniya @AmitShah ji in offering our prayers for the departed. This nefarious attack will be avenged and the perpetrators will not be spared... India will never forget and never forgive!" he said in a series of posts.

Telangana government establishes helpline in response to Pahalgam terror attack, enhancing resident safety monitoring.

Telangana Helpline Set Up After Pahalgam Attack

Following the Pahalgam attack claiming 26 lives, Telangana sets up a Delhi helpline, ensuring resident safety and crucial communication.

Telangana has set up a helpline in Delhi post-Pahalgam attack, with no residents reported harmed. Close monitoring continues.

The Telangana government on Wednesday set up a dedicated helpline at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi to support and address concerns of residents from the state, if any are found to be affected by the Pahalgam terror attack.
As of now, there are no reports of anyone from Telangana being injured, missing, or killed in the incident. However, the government has set up the helpline as a precautionary measure to provide immediate assistance and keep the public informed, an official release said.
The Telangana Bhavan officials in New Delhi are in constant touch with the Jammu and Kashmir state administration as well as central government authorities and monitoring the situation closely, it said.
Citizens can reach out to helpline numbers, Vandhana- 9871999044 and Hyder Ali Naqvi - 9971387500, for information or assistance, the release added.
Twenty six people, mostly tourists, were killed in the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

In response to the Pahalgam attack, Northern Railway announces a special Katra-Delhi train to ensure tourist safety, with more trains on alert for high demand.

Katrato Delhi special train Amid Pahalgam Attack

Post-Pahalgam attack, Northern Railway introduces a special train from Katra to Delhi for tourist safety. Service includes stops at major stations, with the readiness for more trains if needed.

Northern Railway launches a special Katra-Delhi service following the Pahalgam attack to ensure tourist safety, with extra deployments if demand rises.

Railways will run a special unreserved train from Katra to New Delhi at 9:20 pm on Wednesday for those who want to cut short their trip to Jammu and Kashmir and return to their respective destinations, an official said.
Reports suggested that several tourists at various places in Jammu wanted to return to their respected cities in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
"Considering the urgency, we have immediately arranged a special train for all classes of passengers to return to their home cities," Himanshu Upadhyay, Chief Public Relation Officer, Northern Railway, said.
The train, after starting from Sri Vaishno Devi Katra at 9:20 pm, will halt at several other stations en route such as Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Panipat before terminating at the New Delhi Railway Station at 9:30 am on Thursday.
"This train will have seven general, eight sleeper and three AC coaches," Upadhyay said.
He added, "If the number of passengers exceeds this train's capacity, we have a backup plan to run more such special trains at the earliest."

J.C. Chandra Mouli's death in Pahalgam attack shatters Visakhapatnam. Cherished for community service, his impact resonates.

Visakhapatnam Mourns Pahalgam Loss of J.C Mouli

Visakhapatnam grieves J.C. Chandra Mouli's death in the Pahalgam attack. Known for community dedication, his loss echoes strongly.

Retired bank employee J.C. Chandra Mouli's tragic death in the Pahalgam attack deeply impacts his Visakhapatnam community.

The death of JC Chandra Mouli, a retired bank employee from Visakhapatnam, in the recent Pahalgam terror attack came as a rude shock to his neighbours, who remembered him as a friendly and sociable person.
Mouli, who lived in the Pandurangapuram area of the port city, spent his retirement in an apartment and actively supported the bank employees&rsquo; association, said Ravi Kumar, a neighbour.
"This is highly shocking news. We didn&rsquo;t believe it at first. It distressed me deeply&mdash;a tragic development," Kumar told a vernacular news channel, adding that he was forced to accept the news after seeing Mouli&rsquo;s photograph on a trusted news platform.
According to Kumar, Mouli regularly spent about two hours a day at the SBI head office in Vizag, attending to matters related to the employees&rsquo; association.
"During apartment meetings, he took a keen interest in resolving issues. He was elected vice-president of our apartment association, and I serve as the secretary," he said.
Kumar also fondly recalled crossing paths with Mouli during morning and evening walks, often engaging in friendly conversations.
He remembered that he was out of town when Mouli left for Kashmir and recalled Mouli mentioning that he had just sent his daughter back to the US.
Though neighbours were expecting Mouli to return today or tomorrow, Kumar said the tragic news has left them shattered.
Mouli, originally from Srikakulam, had settled in Visakhapatnam due to his banking career. Both his daughters are based in the US.
His body is expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam around 10 pm on an Air India flight via Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is expected to personally receive the body and pay his respects.
Meanwhile, the second Telugu victim of the attack has been identified as S Madhusudan, a software engineer from Bengaluru.
Madhusudan, who was settled in Bengaluru, had gone on a holiday to Jammu and Kashmir with his wife and two children. He was originally from Kavali in the Nellore district.
His body is scheduled to arrive in Chennai around 10 pm and will then be transported to Nellore by ambulance.

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India has registered 1,32,364 new cases and 2,713 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
According to Friday&rsquo;s data, the national recovery rate has further improved to 93.80% after 207,071 people were discharged in the preceding 24 hours. Active cases have fallen to 1,635,993 and constitute 5.72% of the national caseload.
. The top five states which have registered maximum cases are Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra also reported the maximum daily fatalities with 643 deaths.

India reports over 1.32 lakh new cases; 2,713 deaths in last 24 hrs

India has registered 1,32,364 new cases and 2,713 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
According to Friday&rsquo;s data, the national recovery rate has further improved to 93.80% after 207,071 people were discharged in the preceding 24 hours. Active cases have fallen to 1,635,993 and constitute 5.72% of the national caseload.
. The top five states which have registered maximum cases are Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra also reported the maximum daily fatalities with 643 deaths.

//Covid&nbsp;tally:&nbsp;1,32,364 new cases,&nbsp;2,713 deaths in 24 hrs //2,07,071 discharged&nbsp;in 24 hours, recovery rate at&nbsp;93.80% //Active cases&nbsp;fall to 1,635,993,&nbsp;5.72% of the total caseload //TN,&nbsp;Kerala&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Karnataka&nbsp;registered&nbsp;maximum cases&nbsp; //Maharashtra&nbsp;reported highest fatalities with 643 deaths&nbsp;

Three Naxalites killed in a crucial encounter on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The major operation involved 10,000 security personnel targeting Maoist strongholds.

3 Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh

Three Naxalites were killed in a significant encounter on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation involved around 10,000 security personnel, targeting key Maoist areas.

Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation involved 10,000 personnel and targets Maoist strongholds.

Chhattisgarh: Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border on Thursday, police said.
The gunfight took place at a forest in Karegutta hills in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district along the inter-state border in the morning when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said.
So far, bodies of three Naxalites have been recovered from the encounter site, and several other Maoists are also suspected to have been killed in the fierce gun battle, he said.
The operation, one of biggest counter-insurgency actions launched in Bastar region, involved around 10,000 security personnel belonging to different units, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), all units of the state police, as well as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA), he said.
The Telangana police were also assisting in the operation, the official said.
The operation was launched on Monday based on inputs about the presence of senior cadres of battalion no. 1, the strongest military formation of Maoists, and Telangana state committee of Maoists, and it will last for several days, he said.
The area surrounded by the dense forests and series of hills is considered to be the base of Maoists' battalion no. 1, he added.

India withholds Pakistan's X account after the Pahalgam attack, citing cross-border terrorism. A legal demand prompted this restricted access on the platform.

India Blocks X Account of Pakistan Over Terror Links

In light of the Pahalgam attack, India restricts Pakistan's X account, enforcing legal mandates. This reflects India's firm stance on cross-border terrorism.

India blocks Pakistan's X account after the Pahalgam attack citing cross-border terrorism, following a legal demand.

Following New Delhi's decisive action against Islamabad in response to the "cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack" in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives and injured many others, Pakistan's official account on X has been withheld in India.&nbsp;
Users attempting to access the account receive a notification stating, "@GovtofPakistan has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand." According to X's platform guidelines, an account may be withheld when the social media platform receives "a valid and properly scoped request from an authorized entity" to limit access to specific content within a particular country.
X's guidelines clarify that such withholdings are restricted to the jurisdiction issuing the legal demand or where content is deemed to violate local laws.
This development came on Thursday after a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which India announced a series of measures targeting Pakistan.

An army soldier has died in a terrorist encounter in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces continue their efforts in the ongoing operation.

Army Soldier Dies in Udhampur Encounter

A tragic encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district resulted in the death of an army soldier during a firefight with terrorists. The ongoing operation began following intelligence of terrorist presence in the Dudu-Basantgarh area. Security forces remain engaged.

An army soldier was killed during a terrorist encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district. The operation, based on intelligence, is ongoing.

An army soldier was killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists following a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Thursday, officials said.
The firing took place in Dudu-Basantgarh area during a cordon and search operation which was launched based on information about the presence of terrorists, they said.
"Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched today in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur," the White Knight Corps said on X.
Contact was established and a fierce firefight ensued, it said.
"One of our bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite best medical efforts," the army said.
The operation was still underway when last reports came in from the spot, they added.

India suspends the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, citing the threat of cross-border terrorism. This move opens up options for India to modify or even abrogate the treaty, impacting key water-sharing agreements.

Indus Water Treaty suspended: India has many options, says expert

India suspends the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, citing the threat of cross-border terrorism. This move opens up options for India to modify or even abrogate the treaty, impacting key water-sharing agreements.

India has said the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) of 1960 with Pakistan will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Islamabad credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
The move on Wednesday after the killing of 26 persons, including tourists, in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
What could be the impact of this move? 
The Indus system of rivers comprises the main river -- the Indus -- along with its five left bank tributaries, namely, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej, the Jhelum and the Chenab. The right bank tributary, the Kabul, does not flow through India.
The Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej are together called eastern rivers while the Chenab, the Jhelum and the Indus main are called as western rivers. Its waters are critical to both India and Pakistan.
Pradeep Kumar Saxena, who served as India's Indus Water Commissioner for over six years and has been associated with work related to the IWT, said India, as an upper riparian country, has multiple options.
"This could be the first step towards the abrogation of the treaty, if the government so decides," Saxena told PTI on Wednesday.
"Although there is no explicit provision in the treaty for its abrogation, Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on Law of the Treaties provides sufficient room under which the treaty can be repudiated in view of the fundamental change of circumstances which has occurred with regard to those existing at the time of conclusion of the treaty," he said.
Last year, India sent a formal notice to Pakistan, seeking the "review and modification" of the treaty.
Listing out the steps India could take, Saxena said in the absence of the treaty, India is under no obligation to follow the restrictions on the "reservoir flushing" of the Kishanganga reservoir and other projects on western rivers in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indus Water Treaty currently prohibits it.
Flushing can help India desilt its reservoir but then filling the entire reservoir could take days. Under the treaty, reservoir filling after the flushing has to be done in August -- peak monsoon period -- but with the pact in abeyance, it could be done anytime.
Doing it when sowing season begins in Pakistan could be detrimental, especially when a large part of Punjab in Pakistan depends on the Indus and its tributaries for irrigation.
According to the treaty, there are design restrictions on building structures like dams on Indus and its tributaries. In the past, Pakistan has raised objections over the designs but in future it will not be obligatory to take the concerns onboard.
In the past almost every project has been objected to by Pakistan.
Notable are Salal, Baglihar, Uri, Chutak, Nimoo Bazgo, Kishenganga, Pakal Dul, Miyar, Lower Kalnai and Ratle.
After the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, the government cleared eight more hydropower projects in Ladakh.
The objections may no longer be applicable for the new projects.
There are also operational restrictions on how reservoirs are to be filled and operated. With the treaty in abeyance, these are no longer applicable.
Saxena said India can stop sharing flood data on the rivers. This could also prove detrimental to Pakistan, especially during the monsoon when rivers swell.
India will now have no restriction on storage on western rivers, particularly the Jhelum, and the country can take a number of flood control measures to mitigate floods in the Valley, he said.
The tours of Pakistan side to India, which are mandatory under the treaty, may now be stopped.
At the time of Independence, the boundary line between the two newly created independent countries --- Pakistan and India --- was drawn right across the Indus Basin, leaving Pakistan as the lower riparian and India as the upper riparian.
Two important irrigation works, one at Madhopur on the Ravi river and the other at Ferozepur on the Sutlej river, on which the irrigation canal supplies in Punjab (Pakistan) had been completely dependent, fell in the Indian territory.
A dispute thus arose between the two countries regarding the utilisation of irrigation water from existing facilities. Negotiations held under the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) culminated in the signing of the Indus Water Treaty in 1960.
According to the treaty, all the waters of the eastern rivers - Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi with an average annual flow of around 33 million acre feet (MAF) is allocated to India for unrestricted use while the waters of western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab with average annual flow of around 135 MAF is allocated largely to Pakistan.
However, India is permitted to use the waters of the western rivers for domestic use, non-consumptive use, agricultural and generation of hydro-electric power. The right to generate hydroelectricity from western rivers is unrestricted subject to conditions for the design and operation of the treaty. India can also create storages up to 3.6 MAF on western rivers, the pact states.

Families of Pahalgam terror attack victims criticize Robert Vadra's comments, rejecting his political interpretation. They emphasize the act as terrorism, not a communal issue, while BJP slams Vadra for politicizing the tragedy.

Victims' families reject Robert Vadra's comments on Pahalgam terror attack

Families of Pahalgam terror attack victims criticize Robert Vadra's comments, rejecting his political interpretation. They emphasize the act as terrorism, not a communal issue, while BJP slams Vadra for politicizing the tragedy.

The families of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack have strongly criticized businessman Robert Vadra's comments on the tragedy.&nbsp;
Vadra had suggested that the terrorists targeted civilians in Pahalgam because "they think that Muslims are being suppressed" in India. Family members of the victims from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh have dismissed this as an attempt to politicize the heinous attack and reaffirmed that it was an act of terrorism.
In Indore, Madhya Pradesh, the family of Sushil Nathaniel, a Christian man killed in the attack, voiced their disapproval. His brother, Vikas Nathaniel, recounted the harrowing details of Sushil's death, saying, "At that time, my sister-in-law was with him, and they (terrorists) asked him (Sushil) to kneel down and recite Kalma and asked him about his religion. When he said that he was from the Christian religion, they killed him on the spot... We do not agree with his (Vadra's) statement. The government is cooperating fully, the government itself did not know that such a terrorist attack would happen."
In Bhavnagar, Gujarat, the relatives of Yatish Parmar and his son Smit Parmar, who were also killed in the attack, echoed similar sentiments.&nbsp;
Prashant Nathani, a relative, remarked, "PM Modi revoked Article 370, and peace was established in Kashmir, and people from all over India could go there comfortably. But these terrorists cannot be trusted. So we are not trusting the words of the Congress party and others. We will trust the action being taken by the government... We are a little satisfied with the information we have received from the central government. Hindus and Muslims are living together in India."
Vinod Agarwal, a relative of Dinesh Mirania from Chhattisgarh, who was also killed, rejected Vadra&rsquo;s political statement. "This attack is on Hindutva, and it has not happened because of Hindutva. People have been killed after asking their names. Congress has always done politics. The country understands the character of Congress. It has always been against Hindutva... this is not a matter of politics," he said.
Robert Vadra had labeled the attack as a grim reflection of India&rsquo;s "communal divide," stating, "I feel terrible and my deepest condolences are for the people who have died in this terrorist act...In our country, we see that this government will talk about Hindutva, and the minorities feel uncomfortable and troubled...If you dissect this terrorist act that took place, if they (terrorists) are looking at people's identity, why are they doing this? Because there's a divide that has come about in our country with Hindus and Muslims." He further claimed, "This will make these kinds of organisations feel that Hindus are making a problem for all the Muslims. Looking at identities and then killing somebody, that's a message to the PM, because Muslims are feeling weakened."
In response to Vadra's comments, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh sharply criticized him, accusing his remarks of exposing "the problematic mindset within the Gandhi family" and suggesting that his statement was politically motivated.

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