Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 23: Among the 26 people killed by the terrorists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, 25 were Hindus. They were specifically targeted only after knowing their religion, but one of the deceased was Muslim, a local Kashmiri youth Syed Adil Hussain Shah, who earned his and his family’s livelihood by working as a pony ride operator.
He apparently was not the target because the terrorists only wanted to kill Hindus to send a chilling message to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, But Shah fell to gunman’s bullets because he tried to shield the tourists he was carrying on his pony and also made a valiant attempt to snatch away the killer’s gun.
Syed Adil Hussain Shah worked as a pony ride operator at Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow, a tourist hotspot popularly known as ‘Mini Switzerland’ for its scenic beauty. The young man would ferry tourists on a pony from the car park to the meadow.
For him too, Tuesday had started like just another day. The tourist season in Kashmir was peaking. Shah must have hoped for good earnings throughout the day. In the afternoon, as tourists were having a great time, bullets pierced the mood of jubilation. What followed was mayhem. Terrorists armed with rifles started shooting tourists, one by one. Names were asked, religion confirmed and lives brutally snatched away.
Among the dead was the Kashmiri Muslim — Shah. Local reports have said he was not a target, but was shot dead when he tried to shield the tourist he was with and attempted to snatch a killer’s gun. A heartbroken father said those responsible for the carnage must face the consequences. “My son went to Pahalgam yesterday to work, and around 3 pm, we heard about the attack. We called him, but his phone was switched off. Later, at 4.40 pm, his phone turned on, but no one answered. We rushed to the police station, and that’s when we learned that he had been shot in the attack. Whoever is responsible must face the consequences,” Syed Haider Shah said.
Shah’s mother, crushed by the tragedy, said “He was the sole earning member of the family. Oh Allah, what have you done?”
To pay homage to his bravery, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday joined with hundreds of local youths to attend his funeral. “What can I say? Our guests had come for holidays. Unfortunately, they have been sent in coffins. This young man (Shah) worked hard to earn a living. He left home for work. Unfortunately, we returned his body in a coffin. But we have heard he did not die just like that. He proved his bravery. He tried to stop the attack, he probably tried to snatch a gun and then was targeted. We will have to take care of his family. I have come to assure them that the administration is with him. We will do what we can,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the dead, Rs 2 lakh for the seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries in the Pahalgam terror attack.
An Inspector General-led team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been dispatched to Pahalgam to support local investigations.
