Mumbai: A trip to the picturesque valleys of Kashmir for visitors from Maharashtra took a devastating turn when terrorists opened fire on them in Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals on Tuesday. Families who were in or near the area during the attack narrowly escaped harm, as a group of 11 tourists from Amravati, including the Bodke, Deshmukh, Umekar, and Lande families, left just moments before the violence began.
One tourist shared their brush with danger, noting that staying for only 10 more minutes could have resulted in a disastrous outcome. The group is now secure in Srinagar.
Similarly, over 50 tourists from Pandharpur canceled their plans to visit Pahalgam after hearing the news, expressing their fears and seeing their departure as a sign of divine intervention. The Palande family from Sangli experienced a near miss, as Dr. Vitthal Palande had been drawing at the attack site and left only three hours before the shooting took place.
Kishori Waghulde, part of a travel group from Mumbai, recounted the mayhem that erupted when gunfire was heard but praised the swift action of local security forces in ensuring their safety.
This incident, the deadliest attack on tourists in Kashmir, involved assailants disguised in police uniforms who questioned their victims about their religion before opening fire.
Among the fatalities were six individuals from Maharashtra, and additional injuries have been reported. The tragedy has incited significant national outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety of tourists, prompting many travel agencies to halt tours to the region.
