2 weeks Ago
Pune: Cries of grief and anger rang out on Thursday as thousands gathered for the funerals of Kaustubh Gunbote and Santosh Jagdale , the two longtime friends from Pune who were shot dead by terrorists in J&K's Pahalgam, in front their family members. A plane carrying the two friends' mortal remains landed in Pune around 4am on Thursday. Around 10.
30am, they were both cremated — at the same time — at the city's Vaikunth crematorium. Before their last rites, a large number of people gathered at Gunbote and Jagdale's homes in Kondhwa and Karvenagar, respectively, to pay their last respects. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune The mourners came from all over all the city, from Bhugaon to Karvenagar.
Some were friends; others were those stunned by the act of violence. "It was inhuman what the terrorists did. India's reaction must send a message to the world, that we will not tolerate extremism," said Kothrud resident Chandrakant Gadgil, who attended the cremation.
Aundh resident Pramila Zurange said the manner in which the tourists were shot by the terrorists was "gruesome". "Those who were involved in the attack should be brought to justice as soon as possible," Zurange said. Several politicians, including NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, former CM Prithviraj Chavan and minister Chandrakant Patil met Gunbote and Jagdale's family on Thursday.
Gunbote's wife, Sangita, who watched her husband get shot, told Pawar the tourists were told to recite Islamic verses by the attackers. "We immediately removed the bindis from our foreheads to hide our identities, and, along with others, began to chant 'Allahu Akbar', hoping they would spare us. But they shot my husband, his friend and another person who was sitting nearby," Sangita said.
Sangita added that she then, along with Jagdale's wife and daughter, Asawari, rushed towards the main Pahalgam market area on horseback, to get help for those shot. "A local horse rider we had hired to reach the valley helped us reach the market on horses," she said, adding that another local man, a cab driver, then helped them get in touch with authorities. By that time, the military had started to airlift the injured to hospital, she said.
Gunbote and Jagdale, who had been friends since childhood, were on their first trip together with their families. Gunbote has left behind a wife, son and daughter-in-law, Jagdale is survived by his wife and daughter Asawari..
