Inputs from Kashmir: Muneeb-Ul-Islam
"We are not just crying for our son, we are crying for every Indian who has lost their loved ones," said Khalida Hussain, the aunt of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, (28) the only Kashmiri civilian killed in the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley.
Since the attack on Tuesday, their residence in Hapatnar village of Anantnag district has been flocked by villagers and members of security forces.
A ponywallah (pony ride operator), Adil earned a daily wage of Rs 300–400 by ferrying tourists on horseback to the meadow. On Tuesday, he was guiding a group of tourists when gunmen opened fire.
In a targeted attack on non-Muslim tourists, at least 28 people were killed and several others were injred after heavily armed militants emerged from the surrounding forests and opened fire on a group of tourists gathered near the meadow in Pahalgam, officials said. Adil, however, was also one of them.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers were targeting civilians after asking about their religion. As the terrorists started firing, Adil reportedly tried to intervene.
According to sources, he attempted to wrest a rifle from one of the gunmen, creating a momentary distraction while some tourists managed to flee. Adil, however, was shot and killed on the spot.
'Sole Breadwinner, He Kept the Family Going'
Adil was the sole breadwinner for his family. His income supported his elderly parents, his wife, his sisters, and his brothers. During winters, when tourist activity slowed, he would travel to Jammu for work.
“This is how he kept our family going. Now, there’s no one left to stand between hunger and this home," his father Syed Haider Hussain Shah told the media.
"Our son had gone with his tiffin on 22 April to do his share of labour, but we saw his dead body in the evening instead," his uncle told the media.
“This low-income family has three little sons, and they have now lost their only son who was sustaining the entire family. We appeal to the authorities to go to the bottom of this and expose those responsible. And I pray to Allah to provide peace to their souls, accept their martyrdom, and grant them Jannat," he added.
'A Blot on Kashmiri Name'
Condemning the attack strongly, the family demanded a probe not only to "avenge" Adil but all the victims of the attack.
"Our tourist brothers who came from all over India, after getting newly married, today their wives have become widows. How can a wife who came with her husband return with his dead body? This is a blotch on the Kashmiri name, and we can never erase it," his uncle said.
His aunt Khalida Hussain said that Indian television news channels need to flash Adil's name more prominently.
"No authority has mentioned his name in their statements either. The people of Pahalgam work very hard to feed their families. This is a huge betrayal, and we request a thorough probe to find out who is playing with the lives of us Kashmiris. The whole of Kashmir cries today.”Khalida Hussain, Aunt of Syed Adil Hussain Shah
The attack in Pahalgam left at least 26 tourists dead. The attackers reportedly asked victims to identify their religion before shooting.
“Entire nation is angry & blood of our forces is boiling. The perpetrators will have to pay a very heavy price for their heinous act," Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said as he promised swift action.
Reacting to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.”