1 week Ago
Kishori Waghdule, who had travelled to Pahalgam with her friend, says she was lucky to have survived the terror attack “We were terrified, but security forces acted swiftly and protected us," said Neha alias Kishori Waghdule, a tourist from Jalgaon, who was in Pahalgam when terrorists opened fire on travellers on Monday evening. The attack claimed 26 lives, including six from Maharashtra, and left several others injured. Waghdule, wife of Jalgaon-based journalist Tushar Waghdule, had travelled to Pahalgam with her friend Renuka Bhoge through a Mumbai-based private travel agency.
Speaking over the phone, she described the tense atmosphere that gripped the area moments after the firing began. “There was chaos when news of the firing spread. We were nearby, and panic took over for a moment.
But within minutes, local security forces arrived and ensured our safety. Their quick response gave us a lot of relief," Waghdule shared. Neha and her group left Pahalgam around 5.
30am on Tuesday and were en route to Katra when they spoke to media. “We are all safe," she assured, easing the anxiety of families back in Maharashtra who had been desperately waiting for updates. Officials confirmed that six tourists, all from Maharashtra, were killed on the spot, while several others were rushed to Anantnag hospital with serious injuries.
Security agencies have called it a deliberate attempt to destabilise the growing tourism in Kashmir. A large-scale manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers. Back in Jalgaon, the news spread like wildfire.
Friends, relatives, and media persons reached out to Neha’s family, seeking clarity and confirmation. “As soon as I heard her voice saying she was safe, we all breathed a sigh of relief," said her husband. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured all help, including arrangements to bring the bodies home and support the injured.
The attack is being considered the deadliest in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. Some foreign nationals too were among the victims..
