Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, April 22
Tuesday’s attack on innocent tourists by Kashmir Residents, a militant outfit of banned LET at Pahalgam, 95 kms from Srinagar, reminds of brutal killings of Amarnath Pilgrims at the base camp to Amarnath yatra in August, 2000.
Terrorists struck a prime tourist location of Pahalgham in South Kashmir on Tuesday, killing multiple people and injuring at least 20.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the death toll is still being ascertained. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” he said on X.
Recalling the Amarnath incident, this Correspondent said the Yatris were staying at the camp on August 2 evening, when armed militants attacked them killing 32 at one camp. In all, 105 were gunned down in two days.
Today, the tourists from different parts of the country who had gone to Hejan valley, were the targets, identified by their religions and only Hindus were fired at close range, reminding of cleansing the valley from Hindus in the early 90s.
This Correspondent had worked in Jammu and Kashmir for three years as Times of India representative during the peak militancy period. Today’s incident too suggests involvement of enemy hands, he vividly recall, Pahalgam massacre of pilgrims in 2000.
After dinner, this Correspondent was in his room when Director of public relations of J and K government Mr Jandial telephoned to inform about the massacre. Since, there used to be curfew-like conditions after sunset, the Correspondent requested him to allow use of his Fax machine for transmission of reports. He obliged.
The Correspondent telephoned Dileep Padgaonkar, the editor and asked him to instruct the News Service desk to be alert and have space for Pahalgam report, because the office used to shut down by evening.
Jandial facilitated him to talk to Farooq Abdullah, have the latest official version of DG, A K Suri. He could get quotes from some survivors through doctors too.
Times of India, next day was the only daily to have a latest live report from Pahalgam. During his Amarnath pilgrimage, the Correspondent had stayed in the tent camp of a Sadhu at Pahalgam from Jaipur for a night before starting trek to Chandanwari next morning.
