Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 24: The mortal remains of three victims killed in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam arrived in Bengaluru early Thursday morning. Two victims were from Karnataka and one from Andhra Pradesh. BJP MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha National President Tejasvi Surya accompanied the grieving families from Srinagar to Bengaluru.

The victims include Manjunath Rao, whose body was transported to Shivamogga; Bharat Bhushan, who will be laid to rest in Mattikere, Bengaluru; and Madhusudhan, whose body was sent to Nellore via Chennai. At the Bengaluru International Airport, Union Minister of State V. Somanna and MP Tejasvi Surya paid their final respects.

Union Minister Somanna condemned the attack, asserting that such incidents will be dealt with firmly by the government. “No one responsible will be spared,” he said, reaffirming the government's tough stance on terrorism.

Speaking emotionally, Pradeep, brother-in-law of Manjunath Rao, described the trauma his sister and her son are enduring. “My brother-in-law was shot in front of my sister. Their son, just 18, had completed his board exams and was on his first family vacation. Now, that memory is forever scarred,” he said.

Tejasvi Surya shared poignant moments from the return journey with the families. “Pallavi, Manjunath’s wife, wore his bloodstained jacket and said she would preserve it as a memory. Bharat Bhushan’s three-year-old son, unaware of the tragedy, kept pointing out planes to his mother,” he said.

Surya also praised the strength shown by the families amid their grief and highlighted how the elderly in one family were shielded from hearing the tragic news immediately.

He reiterated that the government is committed to justice and assured that security forces would respond decisively. “The Indian Army and security agencies will act at a time and in a manner of their choosing,” he said, urging citizens to place faith in national leadership and support the actions taken.

The mortal remains were handed over to families at the airport, marking a painful end to what was meant to be a joyful trip. The government, local authorities, and security agencies coordinated efforts to ensure the safe return of both the bodies and the surviving kin.