What was once an ordinary day in the meadows of Baisaran valley in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam turned into a moment that changed lives forever. The attack not only claimed lives but also left behind fractured families, unanswered questions, and a grief that continues to linger. Twenty six people were shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists on April 22 last year in Pahalgam, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor, a military response targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan. All three Pakistani terrorists involved in the massacre were eliminated by security forces in a gunfight in the Srinagar hills three months later.
The probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues even as it filed a chargesheet in mid-December against seven accused, including the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF), and a handler operating from across the border.
As a tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack that took place in the meadows of Baisaran valley, a memorial has been erected in the hill resort of Pahalgam. Built of black marble, it bears the names of the 26 victims - 25 tourists and local ponywallah Adil Shah - and has been constructed along the banks of the Lidder river.
For the family of Lt Vinay Narwal, the Indian Navy officer who was among those killed, life hasn't been the same. Lt Vinay, 26, and his wife Himanshi were on a honeymoon in Pahalgam when terrorists shot him at point-blank range.
Speaking to reporters at his Karnal residence, Rajesh Narwal, a government employee, said for the past one year, the family has been grappling with the loss. He said that his son's death was not only painful for the family, but also a major loss for the nation.
Ramachandran, 65, on holiday in Kashmir with his wife, daughter, and grandchildren, was gunned down by terrorists. Nothing has changed and the family is yet to recover from his untimely death.
Arathi R Menon, before whose eyes her father was killed, said there was nothing more for her to say about the tragedy.
"What more to say. I don't want to say anything more. A year has gone by, everything is the same. So, I don't want to comment anything about it. Right now I am not in a state to comment anything. I am so sorry," she told PTI in Kochi.
She also said she was in Kochi on-and-off for the past one year and will now return to Dubai permanently.
The family of Manjunath Rao, a realtor from Shivamogga in Karnataka, says the trauma remains etched in their minds even as they try to move on with life. Rao (47) was shot dead in front of his wife Pallavi and their son.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
