One victim, a retiree who had recently returned home after decades of work abroad, was among 26 tourists who lost their lives in a gruesome massacre by militants this week. Another victim, hoping to bring joy to his semi-paralyzed wife in the breathtaking beauty of Indian-administered Kashmir, met a tragic end in the same attack.
This massacre has reopened old wounds between India and its neighbor Pakistan, pushing the two nations closer to the brink of military escalation. Both countries claim Kashmir in its entirety, but each controls only a part of it. They have fought three wars over the territory, famous for its dramatic mountains and lush meadows, since their independence from Britain in 1947.
A long-standing insurgency in India’s part of the region has led to the deaths of thousands, waged by militant groups demanding either independence or a merger with Pakistan. India alleges that these groups receive support from Pakistan, a claim that Islamabad denies.
Tuesday’s attack, during which men were singled out and shot at close range according to survivors’ testimonies, was the latest in a series of bloody incidents that have marred the region.
Balachandran Menonparambil mourns the loss of “his right hand,” his friend of six decades Ramachandran Narayanamenon, who was killed in the attack. Narayanamenon, a man described as “happy,” “caring,” and “reliable,” had spent decades working in Qatar and looked forward to a peaceful retirement.
According to Menonparambil, Narayanamenon was on a trip with his wife Shiela, daughter Aarti, and two grandchildren, eagerly anticipating enjoyable time with his grandchildren. He recalled the excitement in Narayanamenon’s voice during their last call before he boarded the flight to Kashmir on Monday.
A day later, Menonparambil received the devastating news of his friend’s death. He initially thought his friend had not picked up his call because he was watching the TV coverage of the attacks in Kashmir. When he reached out to Narayanamenon’s son Arvind, he was told, “Dad is gone.”
Menonparambil shared his sentiments during the cremation, telling those who offered condolences that his friend is “there with me in my heart.” Other survivors reported that the gunmen accused some of the victims of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In 2019, Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government revoked Kashmir’s previous autonomy, sparking widespread protests. After Tuesday’s massacre, New Delhi swiftly accused Pakistan, downgrading ties and suspending its participation in a crucial water-sharing treaty. Pakistan denies involvement and has threatened to consider any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to it as an act of war.
Kavita Lele lost her husband Sanjay, 50, and two cousins – Hemant Joshi, 45, and Atul Mone, 43 – in the attack, her brother-in-law Rajesh Kadam told CNN. The three men, all described as “loving fathers” and family breadwinners, hailed from just outside the megacity of Mumbai. They had planned the trip to Pahalgam together, according to Kadam.
Sanjay and Hemant were both accountants working for small private firms, while Atul worked for the Indian Railways, he said. For the Leles, Kadam said, the trip was long-planned, but had been delayed due to Kavita’s health issues. Once her health improved, they managed to coordinate their schedules and embark on the trip.
Kadam himself did not join the trip, but traveled to Kashmir later to help bring the traumatized survivors from his family back home. The holidaying family bought food from a stall not long before the attack. Unaccustomed to the realities of the restive region, they initially mistook the sound of gunfire for fireworks, Kadam said, but were warned to take shelter by locals who sensed danger.
All three men were shot shortly after, he said. A bullet grazed his 20-year-old nephew Harshal’s hand. It took almost four hours for disabled Kavita to struggle down the hill to safety, he said. The families have taken hope from protests in India demanding justice for the victims and their families.
However, their lives have been forever changed by this tragedy. “This is not something that can end,” Kadam said. “We have to now live with this.”
