TV
A Cuttack family narrowly escaped a terrorist attack while vacationing in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The incident, which took place at the Baisaran Ghati area, resulted in the tragic death of three people, while the family members managed to survive after hiding from the attackers.
The family, comprising Ranjit Bhola and his wife, along with their son and daughter-in-law, had visited the scenic Baisaran Ghati for a leisurely trip. While the group was taking photos and recording videos, they were suddenly caught in a violent terrorist assault. At that moment, the family and other tourists in the vicinity were confronted with gunfire and chaos.
“The terrorist was standing next to us and shot three people. We were lucky to survive. After the terrorist killed a tourist, a woman asked him to kill her. He (terrorist) told her to call PM Modi. I will never forget such a horrific incident,” said the injured woman.
According to reports, terrorists instructed the tourists to recite a religious verse (Kalma), warning that anyone who failed to comply would be shot. Unfortunately, the family witnessed the shooting of individuals who could not recite the verse, leading to a terrifying situation.
Ranjit Bhoi, along with his family, managed to hide beneath a shed just five feet away from the terrorists. Although they remained hidden, the attackers continued to shoot, and three tourists were killed right in front of the family. Despite the horrific situation, the family remained hidden, and the attackers eventually moved on.
The family members, though shaken and physically injured, eventually made their way back to Cuttack. They have since sought medical attention for their injuries, both physical and psychological. The family is currently being provided with additional support and counselling.
“We had reached the spot at 2 pm, and my son and my daughter-in-law were taking pictures and videos. After hearing a gunshot, my son asked us to hide. There was a security personnel, the terrorist killed him. Out of the four terrorists, three started to shoot male tourists after asking them to recite the Kalma. We were nearly 4 to 5 meters away where the terrorists were standing,” said Ranjit Bhola adding that the terrorists only killed Hindu tourists.
According to Ranjit, he had seen around 14 dead bodies at the spot.
“I will never visit Kashmir again. Pakistan doesn’t want stability and is creating obstructions to the developmental works there,” he added.
Ranjit’s son said, “We have gone through a lot of trauma and will never suggest anyone to visit Kashmir.”
Meanwhile, the authorities have already launched an investigation into the attack, and security forces are working to track down the perpetrators. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in areas that are known to be high-risk zones for such attacks.
