SRINAGAR: Among the 26 civilians brutally killed in the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday are government officers who had come to the Kashmir Valley seeking moments of peace with their loved ones. Their lives were cut short in an act of mindless violence that has stunned the nation and shattered families.
One of the victims has been identified as Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a 26-year-old officer of the Indian Navy stationed in Kochi. Defence officials confirmed that Lt. Narwal, a native of Haryana, was on a brief leave and had recently tied the knot on April 16. His honeymoon turned into a nightmare, and he became a target of the Pahalgam ambushโone of the deadliest terror strikes on civilians in recent years.
Another victim was Manish Ranjan, an officer of the Intelligence Bureau posted in Hyderabad. Hailing from Bihar, Ranjan was on a Leave Travel Concession (LTC) trip with his family. According to preliminary inputs from IB sources, he was gunned down in cold blood in front of his wife and childrenโturning a family vacation into an unspeakable tragedy. He had been working in the ministerial wing of the Hyderabad IB office for the past two years.
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The Indian Railways also mourns the loss of Atul Mone, a Senior Section Engineer from the Parel Workshop of Central Railway. Mone, among the many civilians caught in the line of fire, was also vacationing in the Valley when the terrorists struck. Central Railway confirmed his death and extended condolences to his bereaved family.
Visitors enjoying a serene day in Pahalgam were thrown into chaos as a sudden barrage of gunfire shattered the peace in the scenic meadow. Many were on pony rides, picnicking, or resting at roadside stalls when the assault unfolded without warning.
Survivors described a harrowing scene where the assailants allegedly asked for names before opening fire. A woman recounted the moment her husband was shot in the head, while several others nearby sustained injuries. Visuals from the area captured the grim aftermathโbodies strewn on the grass and distraught relatives pleading for help.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
A coordinated search operation has been launched across the region. The Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police have sealed off the area, with helicopters deployed to airlift the critically injured from the remote site. Locals, showing extraordinary courage, ferried the wounded down the steep slopes on ponies.
In response to the tragedy, the J&K administration has set up round-the-clock emergency helplines in Anantnag and Srinagar. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has implemented relief measures for affected families. Airlines like Air India and IndiGo have announced special flights to and from Srinagar, waiving all cancellation and change charges. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has also appealed to carriers to refrain from surge pricing during this period of grief.
