Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 22: In a heart-wrenching account of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Pallavi, a tourist from Shivamogga, shared the trauma of witnessing her husband Manjunath being gunned down in front of her and their teenage son. The family was on a vacation when tragedy struck.
Speaking to a Kannada news outlet over the phone, Pallavi narrated the horrific events of April 22, when their holiday turned into a nightmare. The family — Pallavi, her husband Manjunath, and their 18-year-old son Abhijeya — were among hundreds of tourists in the region when gunmen opened fire.
"Manjunath had gone to get some food for our son who hadn’t eaten since morning," she said. "Moments later, we heard gunshots. At first, we thought it might be army firing. Then people began running in panic. I rushed to the scene and saw my husband lying in a pool of blood. He had been shot in the head."
Struggling to hold back tears, Pallavi recalled how she and her son came face-to-face with one of the terrorists. “I screamed at him, ‘You’ve killed my husband, kill me too!’ My son also confronted him and shouted, ‘You killed my father, kill us too!’”
The terrorist, however, reportedly refused and said chillingly, “I won’t kill you. Go and tell Modi.”
Pallavi said that she believed Hindus were specifically targeted in the attack. "The terrorists did not wear army uniforms. They attacked mostly men — particularly newlywed husbands — while sparing the women. There were around 500 tourists at the location."
She also recounted how three individuals chanting ‘Bismillah’ helped them reach safety and that their car driver had earlier warned them of increasing threats to Hindus in the area.
Still in shock, Pallavi has appealed to the authorities to ensure that her husband’s body is airlifted and brought back to Karnataka. “We came to Kashmir together as three. I will not return alone. I want to go back to Shivamogga with my husband and son. The government must make the necessary arrangements,” she pleaded.
The family had begun their trip on April 19 and was scheduled to return on April 24.
In Shivamogga, Manjunath’s family is devastated. His mother has not yet been informed of his death and has only been told that he was injured.
Manjunath was a realtor by profession, while Pallavi serves as a bank manager.